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Hannover fired coach Tayfun Korkut on Monday after a run of 13 games without a win left the club close to the Bundesliga's relegation zone. Michael Frontzek has been named as his successor, signing a contract valid for the remaining five matches of the season. The 51-year-old Frontzek worked as an assistant at Hannover from 2004 to 2005. Tayfun Korkut has been sacked by Hannover after a long winless run saw the club fall down the league table. Michael Frontzek will take over at Hannover and has five games left this season to avoid relegation. He is returning to the Bundesliga as coach for the first time since 2011, when he was fired by Borussia Moenchengladbach. Korkut's departure follows a 4-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Hannover are now only one place and two points above Paderborn, who currently occupies the relegation play-off place. The Bundesliga's bottom two clubs are relegated automatically. The team that finishes third from last has a two-leg play-off against the second division's third-place team to try to salvage its status. Bayer Leverkusen's Hakan Calhanoglu strikes a free-kick at goal during the 4-0 win over Hannover. Hannover's Manuel Schmiedebach (right) tussles for the ball with Leverkusen's Omer Toprak (left)
| Tayfun Korkut was fired by Hannover after the 4-0 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday left the club near the relegation zone. Michael Frontzek will take charge of Hannover for the rest of the season. Hannover are currently 15th in the Bundesliga table and are on a torrid run of 13 games without a win.
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It is matches like this that makes one wonder just how good Gael Monfils could have been; and perhaps how good he still can be. The Frenchman is sometimes fantastic, often frustrating and always flamboyant but he brought all the good parts of his game to bear as he knocked Roger Federer out of the Monte Carlo Masters 6-4, 7-6 in a thrilling last-16 encounter. Monfils displayed the breathtaking athleticism that can make Novak Djokovic look sluggish and the shotmaking that can make Andy Murray seem conventional. But the 28-year-old also played with focus and commitment, two attributes which can sometimes be found wanting in the world No 18. Gael Monfils celebrates after beating Roger Federer in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters. Frenchman Monfils beat the former world No 1 6-4 7-6 in a last-16 thriller on Thursday in Monaco. Federer started smoothly and broke with a clever chipped return. But the 33-year-old handed the break back with a double fault and the momentum swung towards the Frenchman. At 4-4, Monfils came out on top in a pulsating 31-shot rally to bring up three break points. On the second, he won another grueling point and then served out comfortably. The second set was the best of the tournament so far. Each game was fiercely contested with both men playing superb, intense tennis. Federer shows his frustration after bowing out of the clay court tournament to the No 14 seed. Federer leaves the court after his loss put Monfils through to his first last-eight match in Monaco. Neither was able to puncture the other’s serve and so, appropriately, a tie break was needed to separate them. Every rally in the breaker was a mini epic. Federer edged ahead with a brilliant return winner but missed a backhand to cede the advantage. Monfils won a couple of points on serve and the world No 2 was forced to serve to stay in the match at 5-6. He missed an approach shot wide and the Frenchman unfurled that trademark beaming grin. Monfils will face Grigor Dimitrov in what should be an explosive quarter-final. World No 18 Monfils hit 22 winners to Federer’s 17 as he shocked the 17-time Grand Slam winner. Monfils and Federer shake hands at the end of the match after the 28-year-old overcame the 33-year-old.
| Gael Monfils beat Roger Federer 6-4, 7-6 at the Monte Carlo Masters. The Frenchman showed how good he can be in thrilling last-16 win. Monfils now faces Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals in Monaco.
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Former QPR manager Harry Redknapp feels he still has plenty to offer football but only at the right club, having turned down a 'mind-blowing' offer to coach abroad. The 68-year-old handed in his resignation at Loftus Road in February, citing knee problems behind the decision to leave the Barclays Premier League strugglers, although he later claimed 'people with their own agendas' had a hand in his departure and described the situation at the west London club as 'a bit of a soap opera'. Redknapp will return to the dugout on Sunday, May 31 when he leads a star-studded Men United XI against Leyton Orient Legends, as O's youth coach and Prostate Cancer UK ambassador Errol McKellar hosts a charity football match at The Matchroom Stadium. Harry Redknapp (right) says he would consider a return to management as long as it's at the right club. Redknapp was speaking at the announcement of a Men United XI vs Leyton Orient Legends charity match. The well-travelled former West Ham, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and Tottenham manager, Redknapp feels 'fit as a fiddle' again following knee surgery and would relish another crack at a full-time job, but only under certain circumstances. 'It is difficult to know whether you want to go back in again, but if the right offer came along for the right job then I would consider it, because I do love the game and certainly do miss it,' Redknapp said. 'But unless it was the right job I would not bother. It has got to be something which I really wanted to do. 'It would not be a case of the money. I had an offer earlier this week to go and work abroad where the money was incredible, a mind-blowing offer, but at the moment it did not interest me. 'I have my wife here, my grandkids and everything else, so it has got to be something I wanted to do. Redknapp resigned as Queens Park Rangers manager with immediate effect in February. Redknapp left the Loftus Road outfit citing knee problems behind his decision two months ago. The 68-year-old left Queens Park Rangers with the club 19th in the Premier League table at the time. 'I don't have to work any more if I don't want to at my age, but I feel fit as a fiddle and if I could go into a club somewhere, maybe try to get them up from the Championship or somewhere in the Premier League, then I might be interested. 'I could even work with a younger coach to help them and they could then take over as manager in a year or two, to help build the club up; that is something which would interest me but we will have to wait and see what comes along.' While it remains to be seen what chapter will be next in Redknapp's colourful management career, he hopes to see one of his former clubs Bournemouth go on to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time, with the Cherries currently top of the Sky Bet Championship heading into the final three matches. He said: 'The job which Eddie (Howe) has done is second to none. He has been amazing, taking things on to another level. Redknapp is full of praise for the job current Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has done at the club. The Cherries sit top of the Championship with three games of the season remaining. 'I can't see them not going up because they are the best team in the league, playing the best football in the division and are a pleasure to watch. They never change their philosophy home or away and are brilliant to watch. 'The owner has come in, Max (Demin) the Russian, and has put his money in, helped take the club on. So you don't know (what they could do after promotion) but I would just like to see them get there.' Redknapp lost close friend and former West Ham team-mate John Bond to prostate cancer and is backing the Men United campaign to help raise awareness of the disease, which is the most common cancer in men with more than 10,000 deaths each year. He said: 'Prostate Cancer is something which can affect any family at any time so it is important that people come out to support this cause. 'We are all scared that if the doctor tells you that you have something wrong, but if you get there early enough it can be cured - you can't let it just go.' Redknapp lost close friend and former West Ham team-mate John Bond to prostate cancer. People are being urged to search Men United and do something great with their mates via prostatecanceruk.org/menunited. Tickets for the Men United XI match are priced at £10 adults and £5 concessions, and are available from www.lofcdirect.co.uk.
| Harry Redknapp quit as QPR manager in February due to knee surgery. Redknapp will manage Men United XI vs Leyton Orient Legends on May 31. Charity match is to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.
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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe expects the club's fans to play a crucial role as his side close in on a first-ever promotion to the Barclays Premier League. The Cherries take on Sheffield Wednesday at the Goldsands Stadium on Saturday followed by the visit of Bolton nine days later and then a last-day trip to Charlton. The four-horse race for automatic promotion - second-placed Norwich face fourth-placed Middlesbrough on Friday night - is expected to go down to the wire with just two points separating those in contention. Eddie Howe and his Bournemouth players applaud travelling fans after victory against Reading. Howe has called on supporters to inspire the Cherries to win promotion from the Championship. 'The pleasing thing from our perspective regarding our home form is that it's improved as the season has gone on,' Howe told the club's official website. 'We have become more consistent, more adept at dealing with the different problems that we face and how teams set up against us, so we are in a good place at home. 'Hopefully the crowd can inspire us because we are going to need them more than ever. 'In these two games I'm sure there will be moments where we are either under pressure or need a lift and that's when hopefully they can do their bit for us.' Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic refuses to look beyond Saturday's home game against Birmingham as his third-placed side bid to climb back into the top two. Slavisa Jokanovic is not looking beyond Birmingham as Watford chase automatic promotion. 'There are three games more,' Jokanovic told his club's official website. 'We must continue, we must be ready. 'We know there is the chance of three more games after this, but we are not thinking of this. 'Only Birmingham City and three points on Saturday. That is the focus. We cannot talk about taking nine points because this is not what is in front of us.' Steve McClaren's Derby must improve on their recent away form at Huddersfield if they are to secure a play-off finish. The Rams, who have not won at Huddersfield since Boxing Day 1995, have won only one of their last seven games on the road, while Chris Powell's Terriers are unbeaten in their last four matches. Ipswich, Brentford and Wolves make up the four teams battling it out for the last two play-off places. Mick McCarthy will take Luke Chambers (above) to his former club Wolves at the weekend. Mick McCarthy takes his Tractor Boys to Molineux for a potential humdinger against former club Wolves, while Brentford face Bolton at Griffin Park. Wigan will be relegated for the second time in three seasons if they fail to beat Brighton at home. Relegation rivals Millwall will look to build on Tuesday night's home win against Wigan with victory at Cardiff. Leeds, who have lost their last four matches, are chasing their first win in six at Charlton, Nottingham Forest are bidding to halt their five-game unbeaten run at Blackburn and Fulham aim to edge closer to survival with victory at relegated Blackpool.
| Bournemouth lead the Championship table in bid for promotion. Eddie Howe is hoping fans can inspire Cherries to reach Premier League. Norwich play Middlesbrough in a top of the table clash on Friday. Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic is not looking beyond Birmingham clash. Derby, Ipswich, Brentford and Wolves are in the hunt for a play-off place.
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The collapse in Roberto Mancini's relationship with Manchester City was rooted in his dismay at the quality of English players signed by the club. When names like Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell and to a lesser extent Adam Johnson were signed, he could barely disguise his contempt, feeling none of them would help him take on Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League. 'Ask Marwood,' he would spit out when asked about the club's transfer policy, referring to the club's then-football administrator Brian Marwood who was responsible at the time for buying players. Tottenham defender Danny Rose has been linked with a move to Manchester City. Mancini was sacked in 2013 and nearly two years on, Marwood has a new role at the academy with a Spaniard, Txiki Begiristain, in his old job with the title director of football. And yet the dilemma remains the same: How do City buy enough top English players to fulfil quotas for homegrown players without breaking FPP (financial fair play) regulations again? It won't be easy and could explain why City – who have slumped to fourth in the league – are being linked with less glamorous names like Danny Rose and Aaron Cresswell. Good players certainly, but good enough? Probably not. It's a sobering thought that Rodwell made only seven Premier League starts in two seasons for City after a £12million move from Everton. Sinclair started just twice after signing from Swansea and is currently on loan at Aston Villa. Plenty of things at City have been carefully planned and executed well since the club's owners from Abu Dhabi took over in 2008. (From left) Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain, assistant manager Brian Kidd, manager Manuel Pellegrini and former football administrator Brian Marwood. The Etihad Campus is a glittering monument to football development and helping the community, while two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and Capital One Cup is an excellent trophy haul considering where the club have come from. But one weakness has been in their approach to having enough homegrown players, lagging behind most of their rivals. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger signed Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers and Manchester United bought Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Luke Shaw as teenagers. Most spectacularly, Liverpool bought players like Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling and invested in making them better. Spurs have brought through Harry Kane and Ryan Mason from their academy. Only Chelsea face similar issues to City. Homegrown rules are complicated and differ slightly between competitions. Scott Sinclair (left) and Jack Rodwell are two English players who were bought by Manchester City. In the Premier League, you must have eight homegrown players if you fill your squad of 25. Homegrown players can be born overseas as long as they have been at a club's academy three years before the age of 21. If clubs can't find eight, they have to reduce their squad accordingly, as Chelsea have had to this season. Under 21 players can be named in the squad in addition to the 25. City's six Premier League homegrown players are: Joe Hart, Richard Wright, Dedryck Boyata, Gael Clichy, Frank Lampard and James Milner and there lies a major problem for next season. Lampard is definitely off and Milner is out of contract too. Clichy has endured a poor season and City will want a new left-back while Boyata, a Belgian who has been at City since he was 16, is not good enough to win a regular first-team place. The feeling is he was only offered his latest contract because he filled one of the homegrown slots. Ditto, third-choice goalkeeper Wright. Manchester United signed both Wayne Rooney (left) and Luke Shaw as teenagers. The Champions League squads of 25 also require eight players to have been trained in England, but four of those must have come through the ranks at City. Boyata was their only club-trained player named this season. It will be a major problem for the club next season as their one-season punishment (for breaching FFP rules) to name a squad of 21 is lifted and they can name 25 again. These will be issues exercising the minds at the very top of the club. But whichever way they look at it, City have three options which carry a downside:. 1) Spend big on the best English players 2) Find their own from their academy or 3) Buy cheaper English players who might not be good enough. Daniel Sturridge (left) and Jordan Henderson are two players Liverpool bought to boost their English quota. For option one, supply and demand is a problem. There are probably only three England players most people would call good international-class and therefore worthy of a place in the City team should they want to win titles at home and abroad. Hart is already there, Wayne Rooney is at Manchester United and presumably unattainable while Raheem Sterling would be a premium price. 'Can you get Sterling? Maybe if you go to Liverpool with £100million you can,' complained Manuel Pellegrini recently. No wonder City appear ready to open negotiations at £50m. Kean Bryan is one of the young players at Manchester City who is tipped to go on to big things. Midfielder Kean Bryan ticks all the boxes for what Manchester City hope to achieve in the future. A box-to-box midfielder from Manchester, he joined City at the age of 11 and has gone on to be an England youth international at different age levels. Aged 18, he has played for Patrick Vieira's under-21 elite development squad this season, and played five matches in City's run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League, a Champions League equivalent for under-20s. Been compared to Steven Gerrard. The last Mancunian to play regularly for City was Michael Johnson and he had to retire early after injury problems. Of the next generation, £60m has been quoted for Everton's Ross Barkley, a huge price for unproven talent. Harry Kane would be an interesting target as would Everton's Under21 defender John Stones, who might represent the best value-for-money. Jack Wilshere has had injury problems. City's academy cost £200m but so far none has broken into the first-team squad regularly. Marcos Lopes is on loan at Lille and may move there permanently. Karim Rekik has played Champions League football for PSV. City will hope starlets like Jose Pozo, Thierry Ambrose, Mathias Bossaerts, Seko Fofana, Jason Denayer and Kean Bryan will become their homegrown first-teamers of the future, but they are unlikely to make a major contribution next season. Bryan is novel and interesting, he is from Manchester and has been likened to Steven Gerrard. Ross Barkley is one of the most hotly tipped players in England and worth in the region of £60m. The third option is to try and sign any English Premier League player who is available. It might not be the best idea for the players themselves, Johnson said after he was sold to Sunderland that the move to City can turn sour for young players. 'It is a lot different when you don't play. The novelty wears off, definitely,' he said. Rodwell is now at Sunderland too, while Sinclair will make his loan move to Aston Villa permanent provided they stay up. Rose and Cresswell be warned. Making up the numbers at Manchester City doesn't necessarily help the player or club. PREMIER LEAGUE. Eight players in the 25-man squads must be homegrown. A player counts as homegrown if they have spent three years at an English club up to the age of 21. Squads can be supplemented by as many Under 21 players as clubs want. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. Eight of the 25-man squad must be homegrown, four of whom must be club-trained ie have come through the ranks of the actual club they are playing for. Squads can be supplemented by Under-21 players provided they have been with the club for at least two years. SERIE A. From 2016, squads will be limited to 25 players (not counting Under 21s), four of whom have to have grown up in Italy and four of whom have to be products of their club's academy, similar to Champions League rules. Clubs are not allowed to sign more than two non-EU players in a season. LA LIGA. Clubs are not allowed more than three non-EU players in their squads of 25, or in matches. However, after five years, you can apply for Spanish citizenship and become an EU player, as Lionel Messi has done. There are no additional homegrown rules for EU players. BUNDESLIGA. Clubs need to include eight homegrown players, including four from their own youth academy, in their squad. But unlike the Premier League, squads aren't restricted to 25 players so they can still sign as many non-homegrown players as they like. There are no restrictions on signing non-EU players. MANCHESTER CITY. Association-trained homegrown players: Joe Hart, Richard Wright, Gael Clichy, James Milner, Frank Lampard. Club-trained homegrown player: Dedryck Boyata.
| Scott Sinclair and Jack Rodwell are two who have failed to make it at City. Danny Rose and Aaron Cresswell are the latest English players to be linked. Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool have more success recruiting English.
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Lionel Messi has issued an ominous warning to his opponents with the four-time Ballon d'Or winner declaring he is back to his best after a disappointing and trophy-free 2014. A string of injuries limited Messi's involvement as the Catalan giants lost the La Liga title to Atletico Madrid, the same rivals who knocked them out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals. Messi's misfortune saw the Ballon d'Or go to Cristiano Ronaldo for the second consecutive year while there was also the matter of a tax investigation that carried a potential jail term. Now though, Messi's turned the tide - Barca are top of the league, his personal goal tally's at 45 from 44 games and Paris Saint-Germain await in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final on Wednesday. Lionel Messi says he is happy again after a disappointing 2014 that was riddled with injury and off-field drama. The Argentine maestro celebrates his goal against Sevilla, his 399th for Barcelona. 'I am happy. The truth is that I started the season in another way after what happened to me last year,' he said in an interview with Barcelona's club website. 'I was inconsistent last season. I was out for a while due to injury, missing quite a few games. When I came back I didn't feel right. It was a year that I have tried to quickly forget to try and get back to my best through hard work, smiling and effort, like I always have and now, fortunately, I feel very good.' Messi says he is keen to 'get back to my best through hard work, smiling and effort, like I always have' Barca top of the league and his personal goal tally's at 45 from 44 games ahead of PSG on Wednesday. With his breathtaking 2015 form already bringing 34 goals in La Liga and eight in the Champions League, Messi will hit the 400 mark for Barcelona should be find the net in Paris. Being fit again has been key for Messi, but he also says his forward combination with new team-mates Luis Suarez and Neymar have been a calming influence. 'Barcelona have always had great forwards, not just now with Neymar and Luis. But it's true that we are taking advantage of them because they are both great world stars. They give us another thing than goals, so in that sense, I'm calm,' he said.
| Barcelona face PSG in Champions League quarter-final first leg. Lionel Messi comes into Wednesday's match in incredible form. He has 45 goals in 44 games and is one short of 400 for Barca. Messi said he is happy and 'back to my best' after poor 2014. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could line up together in UEFA All-Star match.
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Alexis Sanchez is the only current player good enough to get into the great Arsenal teams of yesteryear, according to club legend Frank McLintock. The Chile international has been a smash hit since arriving from Barcelona last summer and his 20 goals in all competitions have powered Arsenal's season. The Gunners are second in the Barclays Premier League following an eight-match winning run and face Reading on Saturday in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. The performances of Chilean star Alexis Sanchez have caught the eye of Arsenal legend Frank McLintock. Scottish defender McLintock made 403 appearances for the Highbury club between 1964 and 1973. McLintock lifts the FA Cup following Arsenal's win over Liverpool in 1971, part of their Double win. And McLintock, the Scottish defender who made 403 appearances for the club between 1964 and 1973, has praised his debut-season contribution. He told Perform: 'I heard it said recently how many of the Arsenal side would get into past Arsenal sides? 'They said probably Sanchez and that's not too far away. Two or three others would come close.' Arsenal have left their good form too late to sustain a title push, with Chelsea currently seven-points ahead with a game in hand. Sanchez celebrates with team-mate Aaron Ramsey after the Welshman scored their winner at Burnley. Sanchez celebrates scoring Arsenal's third goal against Liverpool last Saturday. Frank McLintock was a Scottish centre-half who joined Arsenal for a club record £80,000 in October 1964. He spent nine seasons at Highbury, the latter part as club captain. He won the league title in 1971, along with the FA Cup, which Arsenal retained 12 months later. They also tasted European success in 1970, beating Anderlecht to win the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In all, he played 403 matches for the club, scoring 32 goals. And McLintock believes the club need to raise their expectations ahead of the next campaign. He said: 'I think we have to be a bit better than we are. But they're doing well, I'm happy they're doing well - it's a good sign. 'I don't want to see Arsenal talking about getting top four, I can't believe they're setting their standards that low. 'They should be talking about wanting to win the championship and winning our first European Cup. 'I don't want to see us talking as though getting fourth place is good enough, we should be aiming our sights much higher.'
| Former Arsenal defender impressed by Chilean star's debut season. Says Sanchez would be close to winning a place in best Gunners teams. Arsenal are second in Premier League after eight-match winning run. They also face Reading this Saturday in semi-finals of FA Cup. READ: Arsenal have doubts over signing Liverpool star Sterling.
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There will have been eight Madrid derbies by the end of this season, no city showdown has been played more in recent years. MailSport looks at the reasons why Atletico Madrid’s meeting with Real Madrid can also lay claim to be the greatest city derby in world football. Opposites attract. The clash of styles is always fascinating. Carlo Ancelotti must accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema and that leaves him little choice but to play a 4-3-3. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema must all be accommodated, leaving little choice but 4-3-3. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are meeting for the fifth and sixth time in European competition that brings them level with Inter and AC Milan in number of city duels. Chelsea and Arsenal have met twice, as have Barcelona and Espanyol and Rapid and Steaua Bucharest. It’s a system that leaves Real Madrid short in midfield especially when you consider none of the first choice midfield trio are defensive players. This plays perfectly into Atletico’s hands. Diego Simeone will flood the midfield on Tuesday night as he has done in recent meetings between the two sides and see if his 4-4-2 with Arda Turan, Mario Suarez, Gabi and Koke can’t over-run Rodriguez, Luka Modric in midfield. Atletico’s two banks of four are also very good at closing the space down for Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema. No wonder Ancelotti said on Monday that playing Simeone’s team is always a problem. Midfielder Koke will be deployed to try and smother the Real Madrid midfield during their last eight tie. The coaches. Simeone never tires of his ‘one game at a time mantra’ Ancelotti was on Monday talking about the challenge being not to beat Atletico but to win the 11th European Cup – the complete opposite of one game at a time. This meeting has added spice because it's the chance for last season's beaten finalists to avenge their victors. Borusia Monchengladbach had the same opportunity against Liverpool in 1978 as did Juventus against Ajax in 1997 and Inter Milan against Bayern Munich in 2011. Simeone’s burns more calories on the touchline than some of his players while Ancelotti’s activity tends to get no more anaerobic than opening another packet of chewing gum. The Italian has won the lot in club football, Simeone is on his way to equaling that feat – he has already won the league and cup in Spain, and the European and Spanish Super Cups along with the Europa League. He almost got the European Cup last year but Ancelotti denied him. For as long as the pair stay in Spain their futures will be linked. Diego Simeone raises his players one game at a time and the games against Real Madrid are no difference. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico boss Simeone often have their careers compared. The Real stars against the team with no stars. When Real Madrid were beaten 4-0 by Atletico Madrid in the league in February it wasn’t the Atletico players who went out partying. Real’s players are the footballing glitterati and Ronaldo’s high-profile birthday bash was part of that. Atletico’s players take great joy in beating their pin-up rivals. Mario Mandzukic, Diego Godin and Raul Garcia are happy to play it ugly if it gets results. Diego Godin and Mario Mandzukic are happy to play ugly to achieve winning results for their side. Goals and golazos. Koke’s thunderbolt shots, the inspiration of Turan, a moment’s magic from Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid are about more than just graft. And with Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, James Rodriguez and Isco all capable of moments of brilliance the derbies have thrown up their fair share of great goals. Ronaldo and Gareth Bale's moments of brilliance have thrown up their fair share of goals in the game. Atletico Madrid's Turkish midfielder Arda Turan has scored his fair share of wondergoals in his career. Well-matched. They used to hold a sarcastic banner up behind the goal at the Santiago Bernabeu for the Madrid derby. It was written like a classified ad and read: ‘wanted – decent rival for city derby’. Those days are long gone. Atletico Madrid ended a 14-year run of not beating Real when they won the Copa del Rey against them two years ago. Sergio Ramos celebrates a goal against his rivals in the Champions League final in Portugal. The game is a chance for Simeone to get his own back on Ancelotti for the defeat in what is to date their only meeting in European competition. Although some would say with four wins and two draws in the six games in other competitions between the two since then, he has already done that. And they haven’t looked back since. At the start of the season they beat them in the Spanish Super Cup and knocked them out of the Copa del Rey both times over two legs. The one blip in the recent run came when it mattered most in last year’s Champions League final and they will hope to put that right on Tuesday night. Most City derbies have one side up and the other down – right now Atletico as Spanish Champions and Real as European Champions are a match for each other in every sense. Bale celebrates when it counts most as he scores in the Champions League final in Portugal in 2014.
| Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid meet for the fifth and sixth time in Europe. That brings them level with Inter and AC Milan in number of city duels. There will have been eight Madrid derbies by the end of this season. No city showdown has been played more time in recent years. SEE where Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale unwind after Madrid training.
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Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has called for realism in their survival quest and insisted that their remaining fixtures will make it extremely tough to avoid relegation. They will escape the drop zone for the first time since November if they beat Swansea at home on Saturday by three goals and Burnley fail to win at Everton. They also have to face relegation rivals Sunderland and Burnley away while welcoming QPR to the King Power Stadium on the final day of the season. Back-to-back wins revived Leicester’s hopes of top-flight survival but Pearson wants to keep a lid on expectations. He said: ‘We believe in ourselves but we have seven left, five at home and one against Chelsea. They are still extremely tough fixtures. Leicester boss Nigel Pearson is not taking anything for granted in the chase for survival. Wes Morgan trains with team-mates ahead of Leicester's game against Swansea at the weekend. ‘We are aware we have had some bad luck from time to time. It’s that belief in ourselves that has kept us going.’ Burnley, meanwhile, have collected eight points from a testing run of eight games but now have to start turning some gritty displays into more positive results. Having won only once since January, it could be the wrong time to be running into an Everton side that are unbeaten in four at Goodison Park but manager Sean Dyche is not looking at form. He said: ‘You can’t govern other people’s situation. We have to focus on ourselves whether it’s good or not good. When the whistle blows, we have a plan and are more looking at how we are going to operate. Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring against West Brom as the Foxes record back-to-back wins. ‘We’ve done a lot of work after being written off. We’re certainly in the pack. Performance-wise I’ve been pleased but we have to win games.’ Everton manager Roberto Martinez sees a fearlessness in Burnley similar to that displayed by his Wigan team in surviving against the odds in the Premier League. The Clarets head to Goodison Park having beaten Manchester City, drawn against Tottenham and narrowly defeated by Arsenal in the last month. Argentinian ace Esteban Cambiasso is one of several players whose contracts expire at the end of the season. They are two points from safety but Martinez believes the fact they have been scrapping to get out of the bottom three all season — much like his Wigan side in the four seasons he spent with them — gives them an advantage over teams who have been dragged into the race for survival. Martinez said: ‘When you are in a situation as clear as the one they have, they are only one step from getting away from the bottom three and that is an incredible incentive.’ Martinez believes Dyche will help Burnley survive. ‘Sean has been an incredible leader and has set very good direction for his team,’ he added. ‘When you get into a new league you sometimes don’t get positive results after a successful season in the Championship and you start having doubts and wanting to change week after week.’
| Leicester remain at the foot of the Premier League table after 31 games. Foxes recently defeated West Ham and West Brom in consecutive games. Manager Nigel Pearson insists survival is far from 'straightforward'
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Ronnie O'Sullivan will tackle a Crucible debutant in the first round of the Betfred World Championship which starts in Sheffield on Saturday. Five-time winner O’Sullivan will face Manchester’s Craig Steadman, who at 32 is set for his bow at the sport’s most prestigious tournament. Steadman visited the theatre to watch his friend Nick Dyson play Ken Doherty in 2001, but said: ‘I told myself I’d never go again unless I was playing. Ronnie O'Sullivan will play 32-year-old debutant Craig Steadman in the first round of the World Championship. Defending champion Mark Selby will play Norwegian Kurt Maflin at the Crucible on Saturday. Mark Selby v Kurt Maflin. Stephen Maguire v Anthony McGill. Joe Perry v Zhang Anda. Shaun Murphy v Robin Hull. Barry Hawkins v Matthew Selt. Mark Allen v Ryan Day. Ali Carter v Alan McManus. Neil Robertson v Jamie Jones. Ding Junhui v Mark Davis. John Higgins v Robert Milkins. Marco Fu v Jimmy Robertson. Judd Trump v Stuart Carrington. Ricky Walden v Graeme Dott. Stuart Bingham v Robbie Williams. Mark Williams v Matthew Stevens. Ronnie O'Sullivan v Craig Steadman. The tournament runs from April 18 to May 4. ‘As a snooker player it’s not nice to sit there watching when you could be playing. 'You’ve got to earn a right to be there and I’ve done that now and it’s brilliant. ‘When you get to the Crucible, I’ve heard horror stories about walking down the stairs and your legs start crumbling. 'I wouldn’t have minded getting there when I was 18, when I had a full head of hair and I was better looking.’ Defending champion Mark Selby will also tackle a debutant in Norway’s Kurt Maflin. Maflin came through 10-9 in the final qualifying round against Irish veteran Fergal O’Brien. Judd Trump faces another tournament newcomer. Grimsby’s Stuart Carrington, a player he faced frequently in the junior ranks, will provide his first opponent. The fourth Crucible novice this year is Scotland’s Anthony McGill, who plays fellow Glaswegian Stephen Maguire. The tournament runs from April 18 until May 4.
| Ronnie O'Sullivan, a five-time champion, draws Craig Steadman. The 32-year-old Steadman is playing in World Championship for first time. Defending champions Mark Selby will face Norway's Kurt Maflin.
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Manchester United's humiliation of their noisy neighbours City at Old Trafford led the club's official website to claim the city was turned red once more in the space of 90 minutes. Yet was this the case? Was that 4-2 win a sign that United are the dominant force in Manchester again, or should we just chalk it off as nothing more than a bad game for the defending champions? City had, after all, beaten United four consecutive times going into the derby, so should the red half of Manchester be so confident sitting four points ahead? Here is Sportsmail's verdict on the issues. Is Manchester red again? Of course not, it is neither red or blue. United’s website declared this to be the case and they will rightly revel in Sunday’s victory for a while. What perhaps best sums up City’s current plight, meanwhile, is that they have been dragged back in to this parochial little squabble at all. Manuel Pellegrini and his players began this season with aspirations of defending their Barclays Premier League title and making an impact on the Champions League. Manchester United's players celebrate together during the derby win for the red half of the city. Juan Mata salutes the Old Trafford crowd while Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney celebrate his goal. With United setting their own sights no higher than a return to the top four, the club from the other side of town were the least of their worries. Yet here we are in April with City already being lapped by league leaders Chelsea and United now easing away from them in third. It’s a remarkable state of affairs even if a look at the fixture list does offer City some semblance of hope. United’s next two games are at Chelsea and Everton, and they still have a home fixture with Arsenal and a visit to Crystal Palace to follow. City, on the other hand, have four home games you would expect them to win and away matches at Spurs and Swansea. Can City take maximum points between now and the end of the season? In theory they could but that would take some doing from a team that looks to be on the floor. At the Etihad they spoke of ‘trajectory’ the day they hustled Mark Hughes out of the door in 2009 and it is a word that neatly works to sum up the differences between red and blue. Apr 18 - Chelsea (a) Apr 26 - Everton (a) May 2 - West Brom (h) May 9 - Crystal Palace (a) May 17 - Arsenal (h) May 24 - Hull City (a) Apr 19 - West Ham (h) Apr 25 - Aston Villa (h) May 3 - Tottenham Hotspur (a) May 10 - QPR (h) May 17 - Swansea City (a) May 24 - Southampton (h) United won the battle against City but the war is still ongoing with six Premier League games remaining. United manager Louis van Gaal thanked supporters for their patience after Sunday's victory. Why do United suddenly look like a good team again? Their manager Louis van Gaal has not been too proud to learn from his mistakes. He was the only person in Manchester, for example, who thought that Wayne Rooney was a central midfielder and Ander Herrera a substitute. Eventually he recognised his folly and United have improved. Van Gaal has also had the courage to pick players on form not reputation. This is why we now see Radamel Falcao on the bench, Daley Blind playing ahead of the expensive Luke Shaw – regardless of Shaw’s recent injury – and Juan Mata ahead of Angel di Maria. At times, Van Gaal’s hand has been forced by injuries but his faith in players such as Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia – players whose Old Trafford career looked over during pre-season – has its roots in what he has seen on the training field. In many ways, this United team now resembles his Dutch team of the World Cup. It seems to lack depth and real quality but still it manages to get the job done. Mata runs away in celebration after scoring one of United's four goals against their great rivals City. Rooney, Young and Mata celebrate as they all rightfully earn their first-team places for United. Angel di Maria (third right) and Radamel Falcao (right) were left out of the starting XI by Van Gaal on Sunday. What has been the secret behind the renaissance of players like Ashley Young and Marouane Fellaini? Van Gaal is a coach’s coach who believes in the value of the training ground. A man who swears by systems and training ground drills, the United manager has followed a mantra of ‘repeat, repeat, repeat’ ever since he arrived in Manchester and, at last, it has paid off. In his early days at the club some of the United players worried that their new manager’s love of endless passing drills would eventually bore them to death. Some even thought they were contributing to the squad’s spate of muscle injuries. Over time, however, Van Gaal’s belief in the value of repetition has worked and players like Young, Fellaini and indeed central defender Chris Smalling have particularly benefited. United do not play predictable football but it is a game hung very firmly to a structure. That is one of the reasons why, for example, a back four without a single stellar player has conceded fewer goals than everybody bar Chelsea and Southampton this season. Marouane Fellaini celebrates scoring in this brilliant photograph taken by Sportsmail snapper Ian Hodgson. Young celebrates after bringing United level having earlier trailed against City from the eighth minute. Players once moaned about, such as Fellaini and Young, are now pivotal parts of United's team. Van Gaal’s belief in the value of repetition has worked and players like Young and Fellaini have benefited. Didn't Louis van Gaal consider selling Fellaini last summer? Yes, he did. Oddly, it was only an injury that prevented the Belgian joining Napoli in loan last August but again Van Gaal’s treatment of Fellaini has illustrated the value of flexibility and objectivity when it comes to managing players and teams. Van Gaal certainly has an ego but it isn’t allowed to get in the way of decision making. He began the season convinced that 3-4-1-2 was the way forward for this United team and certainly there would have been no room for Fellaini in that system. But time – not to mention performances – persuaded Van Gaal that there was greater value in other methods. At City, Pellegrini has been rather more stubborn. Over the course of the season the South American has refused to recognise the problems of using Yaya Toure as part of a central midfield pair and indeed the fact that his favoured 4-4-2 system can lead to his side being overrun in the middle of the field against really good teams. Fellaini helped as United tore City apart at Old Trafford to move four points clear of their noisy neighbours. Fellaini has illustrated the value of flexibility and objectivity when it comes to managing players and teams. It was only an injury that prevented Fellaini from joining Napoli in loan last August from United. Should Manuel Pellegrini be worried about his position at City? 5 - Games lost by City in 2015, one more than the whole of 2014. 13 - City's position in the Premier League form table after losing four and winning two of their last six. 4 - The first time since losing 4-3 to United in 2009 that City have conceded four in the league. 9 - City have nine points fewer than they did at this stage last season. 70.8 - City's pass completion rate percentage at Old Trafford was their worst of the season. Yes, he should. As has been reported here before, City do not wish to sack their manager and it is still highly possible they may not. However, footballers’ body language can undo a manager almost as quickly as results and, from that point of view, the signs were bad for Pellegrini at Old Trafford. For all United’s improvement, they are not a side that should be putting four past the champions but this was a City team seemingly unwilling to run, chase and do the ugly stuff on Sunday and the club’s hierarchy have noticed. It remains fashionable to blame players such as Toure for City’s failings and it seems inevitable the Ivorian will leave this summer. However, when players like David Silva, Pablo Zabaleta and James Milner start to disappear from the battle then you know you have a problem. There was a time when Pellegrini’s level approach to life was viewed as one of his assets but at the moment there are those at City who are beginning to wonder when the Chilean is going impose himself on a dressing room that has sleep walked its way towards calamity in recent weeks. Manuel Pellegrini could be worried about his position at City after losing against their fierce rivals. Segio Aguero, Yaya Toure and James Milner look dejected as they await kick-off after a United goal. Frank Lampard applauds the travelling fans off at Old Trafford as he and goalkeeper Joe Hart leave the pitch. What does the summer hold for both clubs? United will spend heavily on key positions such as central defence and centre forward and also buy a right back. The future, meanwhile, does not look bright for players such as Falcao and Adnan Januzaj. City will also be back in the market, with executives confident that increased revenue from commercial activity and sponsorship will allow them to operate within the constraints of Financial Fair Play and still spend on players such as Paul Pogba from Juventus. Van Gaal’s insistence on a reduced pre-season tour will see travelling kept within reason and it would appear the Dutch coach has won a key battle with the club there. Pellegrini, meanwhile, may wish he had put his own foot down in that area. City will visit Canada, New York and one other venue on a post-season trip – though there will be no actual game in NYC – while a pre-season venture to Australia and Indonesia looks set to total somewhere in the region of 21 days. In this area, the two men are different. Van Gaal – not without his own flaws – has developed in to a manager of his football club in a way, for example, that David Moyes never did. Pellegrini, for his part, remains a head coach. Falcao came on as a second-half substitute for Fellaini at Old Trafford against City. Van Gaal shakes hands with his opposite number Pellegrini after the final whistle at Old Trafford.
| Manchester United beat their rivals City 4-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday. It led to supporters claiming Manchester had been turned red once more. United had lost their four previous derbies against their great rivals City. Louis van Gaal appears to have turned United's fortunes round this year. Sportsmail's Ian Ladyman examines the issues after the fierce derby. READ: Five things Van Gaal has done to transform results at Man Utd.
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They might look like they're competing for a spot on a talent show. But this hip-thrusting dance duo are in fact novices who decided to polish up their skills to surprise guests on their wedding day. Nikki and Kyle Kuchenbecker from Illinois went about perfecting a routine to the toe-tapping pop song, Classic by MKTO. Video footage shows them getting into the groove with an attentive audience watching on. Scroll down for video. Caught on camera: They might look like they're competing for a spot on a talent show - but this hip thrusting dance duo are in fact novices who decided to polish up their skills to surprise guests on their wedding day. Underwear on show: Nikki and Kyle Kuchenbecker from Illinois went about perfecting a routine to the toe-tapping pop song, Classic by MKTO. From lunges to push-ups, the duo perform a range of moves in time to the beat. At one point Nikki's father makes an appearance, in keeping with tradition. In a bid to make it easier to move around, Kyle changed into jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt for his wedding dance, while Nikki slipped into a knee-length dress. To date, the clip of them in action has been watched more than 900,000 times with many viewers giving it a big thumbs up. Lasting memories: Video footage shows the newlyweds getting into the groove with an attentive audience watching on. Going strong: From lunges to press-ups, the duo perform a range of moves in time to the beat. 'This is amazing! Made me so happy,' one commenter wrote. Another fan added: 'I can only dream of a man who loves dancing with me, let alone like this in front of a crowd, and such a quality! 'Damn girl, you're lucky with him! All the best to the both of you and keep dancing!' The Kuchenbeckers got married at The Cotillion banquet hall in Illinois. They later hung their dancing shoes up and jetted off to Cancun, Mexico, for honeymoon. Internet stars: To date, the clip of them in action has been watched more than 900,000 times with many viewers giving it a thumbs up. Dressed for the occasion: In a bid to make it easier to move around, Kyle changed into jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt for his wedding dance, while Nikki slipped into a knee-length dress. A family affair: At one point Nikki's father makes an appearance, in keeping with traditions.
| Nikki and Kyle Kuchenbecker went about perfecting a routine to the toe-tapping pop song, Classic by MKTO. Video footage shows them getting into the groove with an attentive audience watching on. At one point Nikki's father makes an appearance, in keeping with tradition. To date, the clip of them in action has been watched more than 900,000 times with many viewers giving it a big thumbs up.
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Manchester City have emerged as the biggest threat to Arsenal in the race for Charlton’s highly-rated defender Joe Gomez. The England Under-19 defender, valued at £8m by the Championship team, is one of the most wanted young players in the country after his breakthrough season at The Valley. City, beaten 3-1 by Chelsea in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup final on Monday evening, are determined to sign more young English players. Joe Gomez has played at right back for Charlton this season and is wanted by Manchester City and Arsenal. Gomez has emerged as a key talent in the England junior set up, but his rapid progress at first team level with Charlton has alerted City. He has been earmarked to play centre half in the future, but he initially broke into the Charlton side at right back. Gomez, 17, signed a three year contract at Charlton in November last year, but the Addicks face a battle to hold on to their rising star in the summer. Manchester City lost to Chelsea in an FA Youth Cup final first leg and are looking for young English players.
| Arsenal target Joe Gomez is one of the most wanted British youngsters. He has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Charlton and is rated at £8m. Gomez is currently playing at right back but could be a centre half. Manchester City want more young English players and are Arsenal's biggest threat.
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Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp does not expect any particular reaction from his players or the fans to his announcement that he will be leaving the club in the summer. Klopp revealed on Wednesday that he will not be fulfilling the remainder of his contract, which was due to expire in 2018. Instead, he will be terminating his agreement with the Westphalians in the summer to seek a new challenge, but he has vowed to win as many games as he can before bringing his seven-year reign to an end. Jurgen Klopp (centre) speaks to Mats Hummels (left) during Borussia Dortmund's Thursday training session. The Borussia Dortmund coach leads the team's training session as they prepare for a German league match against Paderborn this weekend. And he expects the players to do the same, insisting they will be fully focused for Saturday's Bundesliga clash with Paderborn. 'We can draw strength from this story together,' Klopp said at Thursday's press conference. 'We've always been able to find reasons to do something quite special.' Klopp relayed the reactions of the players to his decision to the assembled press, saying: 'Nobody applauded me - so I guess that's a good thing. You need a moment to deal with such information, which is why I didn't really assess much of what happened in training (on Wednesday), but that's over now. Klopp announced his departure from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday after seven years. Klopp said he believed Dortmund needed a change of manager, but has urged his team to keep smiling. 'I want to see the players smiling, even if then somebody might write that the players are glad Klopp's leaving.' The fans will have had a few days to digest the news too, by the time Dortmund run out at the Westfalenstadion on Saturday, and Klopp expects the atmosphere to be no different to usual. 'If somebody feels they need to give me or my coaching team three cheers, then they would be wrong,' he added. Klopp has already been linked with a number of leading clubs around Europe. Klopp won the Bundesliga title twice during his seven years as Dortmund manager. 'I don't expect it and I don't need it. The important thing is that they get behind the team for 90 minutes.' Earlier on Thursday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to add to the speculation over whether Klopp's next assignment will be in the Barclays Premier League. Klopp insisted on Wednesday that he had had no contact with any clubs, but stressed he did not plan to take an extended time-out from the game. The German has been installed as favourite to replace the under-fire Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City, but Wenger was keen not to add fuel to the fire when quizzed on the matter. 'I'm not an agency to place managers and I like every manager and respect everybody, but I find that circus a bit ridiculous,' the Frenchman said. On whether Klopp would suit Arsenal, Wenger said: 'I already answered this question.' Wenger does not believe Dortmund players will necessarily look to follow the charismatic 47-year-old out of the Westfalenstadion. The emotion was clear to see as Klopp announced he was leaving the club at a Wednesday press conference. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger branded the 'circus' around Klopp's decision as 'ridiculous' 'It's down to every club to make the right decision and to respect Dortmund,' he said. 'Dortmund is a massive club and will survive, and has the ability to keep their best players. 'They have a big history linked with great results and great achievements, so I don't think that will stop for Dortmund.' Klopp has enjoyed a hugely successful spell in charge of Dortmund since taking over in 2008, leading the club to two Bundesliga titles, DFB-Pokal success and the Champions League final. This season has been more of a struggle, with the club battling it out at the bottom end of the league for much of the campaign and currently sitting 10th. Asked about any advice he would give to foreign managers heading to the Premier League, Wenger replied: 'Try to get your ideas through and adapt as well to the local culture, and respect it.'
| Jurgen Klopp announced that he will leave the club in the summer. Klopp has encouraged the players to 'keep smiling' ahead of his departure. Borussia Dortmund have struggled this season and are 10th in Bundesliga.
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She might be a new mother to twins but that didn't prevent a fresh-faced Charlene of Monaco from cutting a glamorous figure as she presented a sports prize this morning. Resplendent in an edgy navy leather jacket and a matching tailored dress, the 37-year-old was all smiles as she presented tennis ace Novak Djokovic with his Sportsman of the Year prize. The presentation of the award, which was bestowed on Djokovic by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, came during the Laureus World Sports Awards. Scroll down for video. Princess with prizes: Charlene allows herself a chuckle as she hands the award to Novak Djokovic. Although the main ceremony took place in Shanghai, Charlene's star turn took place in Monte Carlo instead, with the moment projected onto big screens in front of a glitzy audience of actors and sports stars. Among the big names celebrating with Djokovic, albeit from a distance, were actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Henry Cavill and model Karolina Kurkova. While Cumberbatch, who was hosting the main event, and 31-year-old Cavill have no clear links to sport, Charlene's own sporting pedigree is impeccable. A successful swimmer, she burst onto the scene in 1999 at the All Africa Games in Johannesburg where she picked up three golds and a silver for her native South Africa. Glamorous gathering: The 37-year-old royal cut an elegant figure during the presentation ceremony. Sporting pedigree: Charlene has an impressive sporting pedigree of her own and was an Olympic swimmer. Chuffed: Mr Djokovic looked suitably thrilled with his Sportsman of the Year award. She went on to compete in the 2000 Olympics but narrowly missed out on the 2008 event after spending 18 months out with shoulder injury. Since marrying Monaco's Prince Albert in July 2011, she has used her position to promote a number of sporting initiatives via the Princess Charlene Foundation. Of these, the best known is a programme that encourages children to learn to swim, while emphasising water safety. Today's outing, for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, dovetails with her own charitable ambitions and promotes excellence in sport, as well as positive social change. Now a mother to four-month-old twins Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier, Charlene is attending fewer engagements than previously but remains a familiar sight at sporting events. Surprise guests: Mr Cavill and Mr Cumberbatch chat while showing their support for the sporting event. Roles: Mr Cavill's new film Superman vs. Batman isn't far off, while Mr Cumberbatch is prepping for Hamlet. Adding some glamour: Model Karolina Kurkova and Paralympic cycling star Sarah Storey.
| Princess Charlene presented Novak Djokovic with a sports award. Charlene was glamorous in navy as she handed over the gong in Monaco. Award was part of a ceremony taking place in Shanghai. Glitzy event was attended by Benedict Cumberbatch and Henry Cavill.
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You don't become one of the most successful designers that Italy has ever produced without causing some controversy. But Giorgio Armani's latest comments will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows. The 80-year-old fashion designer, who has dressed everyone from Beyoncé to Adele, has made a name for himself putting A-listers of all shapes and sizes in his creations, but it turns out he has harsh criticism for a few body shapes in particular. Scroll down for video. Giorgio Armani, 80, admitted in an interview that he disapproved of women with breast enlargements and men who worked out too much. In an interview with The Sunday Times, the Milan-born designer spoke of his disapproval of women who resort to breast enlargements, as well as men who work out too much. Armani, who has amassed a personal fortune of £5billion over the length of his 40-year-career, emphasised his appreciation of a 'healthy' look. He said: 'I don't like muscle boy. Not too much gym! 'I like somebody healthy, somebody solid, who looks after his body but doesn't use his muscles too much.' Interestingly, the aesthetic for the brand seems to somewhat differ from the designer's views - with several of the Armani underwear adverts featuring muscly boxer-clad male models. Kelly Brook's ex, David McIntosh, 29, is one celebrity that may not agree with Giorgio Armani's disapproval of men who work out too much. Jodi Marsh, 36, is another celebrity that would lock horns with Armani and his view of plastic surgery as 'idiocy' Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo, 30, has modelled underwear for Giorgio Armani before, showing off his unashamedly muscly body. The designer himself, who has never denied claims that he is gay, was also outspoken about the way that certain gay men dress. Mr Armani declared that a homosexual man doesn't need to dress in a camp manner.. He said: 'When homosexuality is exhibited to the extreme to say, "Ah, you know I'm homosexual," - that has nothing to do with me - a man has to be a man.' The Milan-born designer has never denied that he is gay, but in the interview he condemned men who 'dress homosexual' A Beyoncé fan! In the interview, Giorgio Armani admitted that he preferred the 'natural look' on women, rather than women with breast implants. And his criticism wasn't only reserved for men. When questioned on women opting for plastic surgery, the designer described it as 'idiocy... A small breast does not have to become big.' In the interview, the designer highlighted his appreciation of women with natural beauty, in particular those who chose to age gracefully. He said: 'I prefer to look at a natural woman. A woman should be courageous to become older, not be desperate to look younger than her age.'
| In an interview, Armani, 80, described cosmetic surgery as idiocy. Believes women 'should not be desperate to look younger than her age' The Italian designer also said he didn't like men who looked too muscly.
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MK Dons boss Karl Robinson hailed the patience of his team as they beat Doncaster 3-0 to keep the heat on Preston at the top of League One. Robinson’s team needed a freakish goal by Dean Bowditch, 25 minutes from time, to break Doncaster’s resistance and stay within a point of the automatic promotion places with two games to play. Substitute Bowditch had only been on for a few seconds when a clearance by defender Mitchell Lund hit him on the head and looped into the net. MK Dons midfielder Carl Baker celebrates scoring the second goal. League One player of the year Dele Alli of MK Dons goes past them. MK Dons winger Samir Carruthers goes on the attack during his side's 3-0 win over Doncaster. ‘It’s our first time this season we’ve had a fluke goal, it’s overdue,’ said Robinson after Carl Baker, another substitute, had secured the win with two fine goals. ‘We never lost patience. We showed great maturity and quality and that’s 12 goals in out last three games. ‘To be on 85 points is sensational. If we win one more and get to 88 that will be a magnificent season. If we win them both and get 91 that’s unbelievable. If it’s not good enough to finish second we’ll go into the play-offs as the form team.’ Meanwhile, Preston remain in pole position to join champions Bristol City in the Championship next season as they stay a point ahead of the Dons after a 3-1 win at Notts County, who are staring relegation in the face. First-half goals from Jermaine Beckford and Joe Garner set up the success, before James Spencer got the Magpies back in it. But Beckford's second sealed it in the final 10 minutes to leave County two points adrift of safety with two games left. Swindon look destined for the play-offs after only managing a 3-3 draw with Walsall. The Robins will have to win their remaining three games and hope that Preston and the Dons lose their last two to have any chance of gatecrashing the top two. Jermaine Beckford scored a brace for Preston to help his side defeat Notts County 3-1 on Tuesday. Joe Garner (right) netted a first-half goal to double Preston's lead and set them on their way to a perfect win. Goals from Kieron Morris and Jordy Hiwula put the Saddlers two to the good only for two quickfire penalties from Ben Gladwin to bring Swindon level. Romaine Sawyers' effort 16 minutes from time looked to be decisive but Jordan Turnbull levelled late on for the Robins. Rochdale kept their faint play-off hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient, which leaves the O's in dire straits at the other end of the table. Ian Henderson's 66th-minute goal won it for Dale who are five points adrift of the top six with two games to play and need Chesterfield or Sheffield United to drop points to get in the play-offs. Orient, who were beaten play-off finalists last season, are two points adrift of safety. Elsewhere, Scunthorpe virtually guaranteed their third-tier status after a 1-1 draw at home to Bradford. Gary McSheffrey put the Iron ahead midway through the first half only for Billy Clarke to cancel it out just after the hour. However, Mark Robins' men move six points clear of the bottom four with two games left and a superior goal difference to those teams below them.
| Preston defeat Notts County 3-1 while MK Dons beat Doncaster 3-0. With two games to go, Preston are a point ahead of the Dons. The two are competing to join champions Bristol City in the Championship.
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Ruby Walsh is renowned as one of the greatest jockeys of all time but he also showed what a fine horseman he is on the second circuit of the Grand National. Walsh, a two-time winner of the National, acted as flag man to warn the field to go wide at the Canal Turn as vets tended to the stricken Balthazar King. Thankfully, Phillip Hobbs’s gelding was able to walk away from his fall, as was Walsh’s mount Ballycasey. Ruby Walsh (right) warned riders that Balthazar King was receiving treatment. Balthazar King receives treatment as riders gallop past. Balthazar King received treatment from a vet on the track for at least an hour before being taken to an equine hospital. The Guardian reported that Balthazar King had likely suffered broken ribs. Balthazar King’s fall on the first circuit led to Walsh and Ballycasey being brought down but, afterwards, Walsh was typically phlegmatic. ‘I had nowhere to go,’ he said. ‘But that is the National.’
| Balthazar King and Ballycasey fell on first circuit at Aintree on Saturday. Balthazar King needed veterinary treatment on the course after the fall. Ruby Walsh acted as flag man to warn riders to avoid the horse.
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The SRU have clinched the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in their history after agreeing a £3.6million contract over three years with BT. Sportsmail exclusively revealed last year that BT had agreed to pay £20m over four years for the naming rights of Murrayfield — and that the telecommunications giant would follow that up with a deal to have their trademarks on the famous dark blue jersey. Now that has come to fruition and, come the summer, they will take over from ousted backers RBS. The SRU insisted the combination of the initial BT investment coupled with the new cash injection from the strip deal had already started to transform Scottish rugby. The Scotland shirt, worn here by David Denton, will have BT on it rather than RBS from the summer. ‘I am delighted BT will be the new strip partner of the Scotland teams and although I cannot confirm how much the deal is worth as it is commercially sensitive, I can confirm it is the largest ever shirt sponsorship deal we have done,’ said Dominic McKay, the SRU’s Director of Commercial Operations, Communications and Public Affairs. ‘BT is now very much under the skin of Scottish rugby and their cash has allowed us to invest in a way we have not been able to ever before. Their brand will now be seen by millions of fans around the world on the iconic dark blue jersey of the Scotland team, which shows their further commitment and desire to help us develop all elements of our game.’ All form of jersey advertising is banned during the forthcoming Rugby World Cup in England later this year but Scotland will have BT branding on their training tops. The SRU say that the Scotland Under-20 side will be the first team to run out with BT on their jerseys when they compete in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in June and the senior side will first wear the logo on their jerseys during their World Cup warm-up fixture against Italy in August. The Scotland Women’s team will also wear the national jersey with the BT logo on it as will all age-grade sides. McKay said the cash was being spent from pro level down to the grassroots, with clubs all over Scotland set to benefit under the long-term sponsorship deals. A general view of Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh ahead of an RBS Six Nations match in February. ‘BT’s initial investment was around Glasgow and Edinburgh when they became their principal shirt partners,’ he continued. ‘Since then, that investment has gone into Scottish rugby to enhance and develop both those brands and help pay to bring in new players and bring on younger ones. ‘You can see the success of Glasgow who are sitting top of the PRO12 table and part of that is a result of their investment. Edinburgh are going for a place in the European Challenge Cup final and that will be live on BT sport on Friday night. There is a demonstration at the partnership in action. ‘At club level you have seen clubs participate in the BT Scottish Cup and BT Premiership. They are also dipping in to the funds for clubs we have set up to enhance their premises and pitches that has around £400,000 a year available and we are going through the new applications for money just now.’ McKay added that bringing on the next generation of Scottish rugby players was vital, which was why much of the cash would be spent setting up and running regional rugby academies over the duration of the BT deal. One has already been created in Aberdeen with others to follow to cover Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as the Borders. Brendan Dick, Director of BT Scotland, added: ‘This will showcase our partnership on a global stage and demonstrates our support of Scottish Rugby. Our partnership with Scottish Rugby touches all levels of rugby within Scotland and it is fantastic to see the investment become a reality for communities and families across Scotland and to start to make a difference.’
| The SRU have agreed a £3.6m contract over three years with BT. BT will take over the Scotland shirt sponsorship from RBS this summer. The Scotland U20 side will be the first team to wear the shirts with BT.
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Michael Phelps made a winning return to competitive racing as the 18-time Olympic gold-medallist claimed 100 metres butterfly victory at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Arizona. Phelps, back in action after a six-month suspension imposed by USA Swimming following his drink driving conviction last September, won the race in Mesa with a time of 52.38 seconds, edging out Ryan Lochte. 'It's my first time to race since Pan Pacs (the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships), and being back in the water racing is something that I love,' said Phelps, quoted on usaswimming.org. Michael Phelps claimed 100 metres butterfly victory at the Arena Pro Swim Series following six-month ban. The 18-time Olympic gold-medallist was suspended by USA Swimming for failing a drink-driving test. 'I really enjoy it, and it feels good to be back.' Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, will miss this summer's World Championships in Kazan, Russia, following discussions with USA Swimming. However, the 29-year-old Maryland native revealed earlier this week that he intends to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Phelps made a splash again as he returned to the swimming pool to claim a win in Arizona. 29-year-old Phelps is aiming to compete in a fifth Olympics next year in Rio de Janeiro.
| Michael Phelps won his first race back following six-month suspension. Phelps was suspended by USA Swimming for failing a drink-driving test. Olympic champion won 100m butterfly at the Arena Pro Swim Series.
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He came for revenge and left having inflicted a humiliating defeat which leaves sorry Sunderland perhaps regretting they ever crossed Alan Pardew. The Crystal Palace boss would not admit as much, but the grin he wore in the wake of Yannick Bolasie's hat-trick goal told of his satisfaction. Four times on the spin he suffered defeat as Newcastle manager in Tyne-Wear derbies. It was a ruinous run which fractured his relationship with the club's fans and contributed towards his decision to quit Tyneside for south London in January. Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie was the hero at the Stadium of Light having scored a hat-trick for the Eagles against Sunderland. Crystal Palace players surround opening goal scorer Glenn Murray during the comprehensive winner at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The Sunderland defence can only watch on as the in-form Bolasie fired the visitors into an unassailable lead on Saturday. Bolasie sprints away in celebration having scored a second-half hat-trick in just over 10 minutes at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon. This was his first trip back to the North East and boy did he enjoy it. Palace now have 25 points from a possible 36 under his care and the table for 2015 alone has the Eagles soaring in fifth, two points behind champions elect Chelsea. His team were devastating on Saturday, a ruthless and unforgiving frontline of Bolasie, Glenn Murray, Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha proving too powerful and too fast for a Black Cats defence which is fast running out of lives. Dick Advocaat was perhaps wishing he had remained in Holland as he watched them surrender to four goals inside 17 minutes at the start of the second half. Sunderland (4-3-3): Pantilimon 4.5; Jones 5, Vergini 4, O'Shea 3.5, Van Aanholt 5; Rodwell 5, Cattermole 5 (Bridcutt 64, 5), Gomez 4.5 (Johnson 60, 5); Defoe 5, Fletcher 5.5, Wickham 6. Subs not used: Reveillere, Graham, Coates, Mannone, Buckley. Scorer: Wickham 89. Booked: Rodwell, Cattermole. Manager: Dick Advocaat 5. Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni 6; Ward 6, Dann 7, Delaney 6.5, Souare 6 (Kelly 35, 6); Zaha 7.5, McArthur 6.5 (Ledley 69, 6), Jedinak 6.5, Puncheon 7; Bolasie 9 (Sanogo 71), Murray 7.5. Subs not used: Hangeland, Hennessey, Gayle, Ameobi. Scorers: Murray 48, Bolasie 51, 54, 62. Booked: Dann, McArthur. Manager: Alan Pardew 8. Referee: Anthony Taylor 6. Attendance: 42,073. MOM: Yannick Bolasie. CLICK HERE to view our brilliant Match Zone – including Glenn Murray's opener. Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha evades the attention of Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher during the Premier League contest. James McArthur challenges Black Cats striker Connor Wickham at the Stadium of Light as Crystal Palace stormed to victory. Last weekend he was celebrating a Tyne-Wear derby victory and there was talk of him extending his stay beyond the end of this season. Sunderland, though, are heading for the Championship and Advocaat's reputation is on the line. Pardew's standing, however, has never been higher. He resisted temptation to crow over the identity of the victims and instead hailed the players who have now won four on the bounce. 'We were excellent. We were almost unplayable,' said Pardew. 'We're a team that is bang in form and as a manager you can only be so proud. The scoreline flattered Sunderland a little bit. That front quartet were irresistible at times. We are an honest group with that pace and power and that makes us a very dangerous team.' Bolasie's treble bettered his total from the entirety of this campaign. And Pardew added: 'I'm surprised he hasn't scored more goals. He's the first Palace player to get a Premier League hat-trick as well, so that is a surprise. 'He's at an age where he is improving. The final moment still needs to improve but he was excellent in that respect here.' Santiago Vergini of Sunderland attempts to clear the ball with a rapid Yannick Bolasie fast approaching in mid air. Alan Pardew's side were headed into a second-half lead thanks to this effort from striker Glenn Murray on 48 minutes. The 31-year-old runs away to celebrate having opened the scoring early in the second-half against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Jason Puncheon of Crystal Palace attempts to challenge Sunderland's Jack Rodwell in the air during the Premier League clash. Lee Cattermole fends off interest from Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur but couldn't prevent a heavy loss for the home side. Zaha joins an ecstatic Bolasie (left) after the Congolese forward produced a stunning hat-trick in the second-half against Sunderland. Advocaat had watched from home in Holland four weeks ago as Aston Villa won 4-0 at the Stadium of Light. This latest collapse leaves them just two places and three points above the drop zone. And the new boss said: 'I was shocked. You can see what can change in just six days. We were not in the game. Even in the first half Palace were better. 'We gave it all away inside just seven minutes. The work-rate from their strikers and the pace they have made it very difficult. We did not create any chances. That is a big concern. 'But I knew when I started this job that it would be difficult. We still have six games. We can still stay up. We need to get our confidence back.' Bolasie made a point to go and celebrate with Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew after his quick-fire hat-trick during the 4-1 victory. Sunderland strikers Steven Fletcher and Jermain Defoe can't hide their disappointment having been comprehensively beaten on Saturday. The first half had been a depressing demonstration of two sides fouling one another, an occasional half-chance punctuating the boredom. Jack Rodwell lunged recklessly into the leg of James McArthur with the ball long gone and was lucky to see just yellow. We did see red moments later, albeit the blood streaming from Costel Pantilimon's mouth after Scott Dann planted his boot in the goalkeeper's face when competing for a loose ball. Dann, in fairness, was unfortunate to be booked. And the game soon had its third caution when Lee Cattermole, having been robbed by Bolasie on halfway, desperately hauled the forward back by the trim of his shirt. Palace, though, broke the tedium with their early blitz after the break. Bolasie was the provider for the opener when his cross was deflected onto the brow of Murray, who planted home from four yards for his sixth goal in as many matches. Murray tries to keep possession under the attention of Sunderland captain John O'Shea during the contest at the Stadium of Light. The stands emptied during the second-half at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland conceded four goals in quick succession. Bolasie applauds the travelling fans holding the match ball after helping Crystal Palace to a 4-1 victory at Sunderland with a fine hat-trick. Within three minutes the livewire Congolese had his first. Dann loaded a ball forward from his own half, Murray rose to flick on and Bolasie escaped to poke through Pantilimon. The visitors were three in front come the 54th minute, and again a long ball proved Sunderland's undoing as Bolasie pounced to rob the dithering John O'Shea before lifting over Pantilimon. He did not have to wait long for his hat-trick. Palace broke through Murray down the right and he squared for Bolasie who, after out-scrapping Pantilimon and Santiago Vergini, poked home for his first senior treble. Sunderland did steal a barely deserved consolation when Connor Wickham turned in Patrick Van Aanholt's cross, but it mattered not and news of Leicester and Aston Villa's victories has them looking down once more. For Pardew, things are very much looking up.
| Alan Pardew's side scored second-half treble within five minutes to secure the three points. Glenn Murray fired the Eagles ahead with his sixth goal in as many matches for the away side. Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie scored a hat-trick to keep Sunderland in relegation trouble. Connor Wickham scored a late consolation for the home side, who remain just three points clear of safety.
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Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had more than one reason to celebrate on Saturday. Just hours after he had played the full 120 minutes it took for the Gunners to grind out a 2-1 win in extra-time over Reading in a tense FA Cup semi-final, Szczesny was treated to a lovely birthday surprise courtesy of his singer-songwriter girlfriend Mariana Luczenko. The Poland international, now 25, was joined at his home by family and friends as well as one of his favourite rock bands, 'Lemon', who delivered a private performance. Wojciech Szczesny is all smiles as he and girlfriend Mariana Luczenko enjoy a drink in their garden. Szczesny is treated to a private birthday performance by Polish band, Lemon, at his home in London. Szczesny is joined by friends and family for a special 25th birthday surprise following the FA Cup semi-final. An impressive spread of food and drink is on offer at Szczesny's London home as part of his birthday bash. Pictures of Szczesny's Arsenal career hang from the ceiling in a touching tribute to the goalkeeper. There are also pictures from Szczesny's childhood and family holidays as the goalkeeper turns 25. Szczesny was clearly touched by the efforts of his girlfriend and took to Instagram on Monday to thank her. 'Best birthday ever!' he wrote. Arsenal's triumph over Reading sees them reach the FA Cup final for the second consecutive season, having also won the competition last year against Hull City. This year, it will be Tim Sherwood's Aston Villa who stand between the Gunners and more glory, after they defeated Liverpool in the other semi-final on Sunday. Szczesny joined Arsenal's academy in 2006 from hometown club Legia Warsaw and graduated to the first-team in three years later. Although he has racked up nearly 200 appearances for the north London outfit since then, this season has raised question marks over Szczesny's long-term future. He was caught smoking in the wake of Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League loss at Southampton on New Year's Day and has only made Cup appearances since then. Factor in the form of fellow goalkeeper David Ospina, who inherited Szczesny's role in the league and there is a cloud of uncertainty around the Polish stopper. Szczesny prepares to blow out candles on the cake presented to him by his girlfriend. Szczesny makes a wish as the cake his held by Luczenko during the birthday celebrations on Saturday. The Arsenal goalkeeper and his girlfriend pose in front of a pair of balloons during the birthday celebrations.
| Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny celebrated his 25th birthday. The Poland international was surprised with a gathering of friends and family as well as one of his favourite bands, Lemon, at his home on Saturday. Szczesny had helped Arsenal reach the FA Cup final after a 2-1 win over Reading in the semis at Wembley earlier that same afternoon.
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Tomas Berdych advanced to the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters for the third time on Friday after opponent Milos Raonic retired with a foot injury. Raonic called a trainer after dropping serve for the second time to trail 5-2 in the first. Following a short discussion with the doctor, who had a close look at his strapped right foot, the big-serving Canadian went to see Berdych on the other side of the court to inform him of his decision to give up. Tomas Berdych advanced to the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters following Milos Raonic's injury. Raonic had to retire from his quarter-final showdown with Berdych due to a troublesome foot injury. Berdych, who has yet to lose a set this week, will face either Grigor Dimitrov or Gael Monfils in the semi-finals of the clay-court Masters tournament. Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal will play David Ferrer, and top-ranked Novak Djokovic will face Marin Cilic. Berdych shakes hands with Raonic following the Canadian's decision to retire from the encounter.
| Milos Raonic had to pull out of tournament after sustaining foot injury. Tomas Berdych will face Grigor Dimitrov or Gael Monfils in next round. Berdych is yet to lose a set this week following Raonic's injury.
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One season soon, there will be more people watching each Premier League match live in the USA than in Britain. That is the confident expectation of broadcasting titan NBC, who hold the live rights to show matches Stateside and have more than doubled US interest in England’s elite division in the past two years. In 2012-13, some 13 million different Americans watched at least one top-flight English game live. Last season that was 32 million — or more than one in 10 people in the US. This weekend, for the first time, reflecting their boom product, NBC have transported their entire Premier League production from their HQ in Stamford, Connecticut, to England. NBC host Rebecca Lowe has helped to improve coverage of the Premier League in America. Star anchor Lowe was at Turf Moor to present Burnley's Premier League match against Arsenal. Lowe was joined by former Wimbledon midfielder Robbie Earle and retired MLS star Kyle Martino. Lifelong Crystal Palace fan Lowe is married to former Cheltenham manager Paul Buckle. Star anchor Rebecca Lowe was at Turf Moor for Burnley against Arsenal, joined by former USA midfielder Kyle Martino — a pin-up at LA Galaxy just before David Beckham — and fellow pundit Robbie Earle, now based in Los Angeles. The trio, plus pitchside analysts Lee Dixon and Robbie Mustoe, will also be at the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday and at Anfield for Liverpool-Newcastle on Monday. ‘The Premier League sells itself with its drama,’ says Lowe, 34, a former BBC and ESPN journalist snapped up to be the face of the PL in the USA by NBC two years ago. ‘But you can always enhance your coverage and that’s why we’re here this weekend.’ Lowe herself is a lifelong Crystal Palace fan, and had one eye on their stunning 4-1 win at Sunderland. As she told the LA Times recently, tongue in cheek, her support of Palace is not a sign that she can’t recognise good football. ‘I hope that people look at me and say she actually knows football because to be a Crystal Palace fan, you have to really want to be in football,’ she said. ‘It’s not easy being a Crystal Palace fan. I could pick United or City or Chelsea or Arsenal and I probably would have had a much happier childhood.’ Lowe now finds herself helping to influence the footballing choices of young Americans. ‘When I first moved to the States two years ago I hardly saw a [replica] Premier League shirt,’ she says. ‘Now they’re all over the place, and not just the big teams.’ Lowe was at Turf Moor to see Arsenal claim all three points thanks to a goal by Aaron Ramsey. Lee Dixon provided pitchside analysis for NBC as his former side defeated relegation candidates Burnley. NBC transported their entire Premier League production from their HQ in Stamford, Connecticut, to England for this weekend's round of matches. Every match is shown live in the USA. At 7am eastern time on Saturday, midday in Britain, NBC’s weekend PL broadcasting opened with a long shot of Turf Moor set against the Lancashire hills and Lowe describing how football has been played at this ground since 1883. ‘This country is so rich in history, it’s part of the appeal,’ says Lowe, a Londoner who is married to football manager Paul Buckle, who recently parted company with Cheltenham. ‘It’s important that we do tell our audience about [smaller clubs like] Burnley because otherwise it could all be Arsenal, United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool,’ Lowe says. ‘We’re passionate about educating and informing our audience.’ Martino says that when NBC won the rights to show games — for the three-year period, 2013-16, for $250 million (£167m) — some critics feared that showing every match ‘was going to be overkill … [but] what we’ve found is there is a demand for that level of consumption of this product’. The USA is the third most lucrative market now for the League in rights terms, among 84 separate overseas contracts covering 212 territories. Only Thailand, where broadcasters are paying $320m for the current three years and the Middle East (both £213m), offer richer pickings, so far. With the Premier League having recently sealed their record £5bn domestic TV deal for 2016-19 with Sky and BT, attention will now turn to all the overseas deals, to be brokered over the next year. India will be a key market, with a surging middle-class interest, while Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil are seen as having room for growth, among others. All the overseas rights combined fetched £2.23bn for the League for the 2013-16 period (or £743m a year) with increases expected. The USA is high on the list of places the League want to continue building interest, not just to earn more TV cash but to provide the clubs with potentially lucrative markets. Burnley’s chief executive Lee Hoos, an American, told the Mail on Sunday on Saturday that his club’s merchandise sales in the USA have jumped 212 per cent this season simply by being in the League. Leaps of 150 per cent have been recorded in places as far flung as Korea and mainland Europe. Lowe would have been delighted with Crystal Palace's emphatic 4-1 league win over Sunderland. Burnley have benefitted from the American audience taking an interest in the Premier League, says Lee Hoos. Burnley chief Hoos, pictured withSportsmail's Nick Harris, insists his club's profile is high across the globe. Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has been impressed with NBC's coverage of the Premier League. ‘There are still people here in the UK who will say to me, “Where exactly is Burnley?”,’ he says. ‘Yet our profile has never been higher internationally.’ Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis, who spent 16 years in MLS, said NBC’s coverage has been ‘transformative’ for the Premier League. He said in the recent past football was seen as ‘niche’ and ‘nerdy’ and ‘it was always cool to knock soccer … but when you get NBC coming into play you’re moving into the mainstream. It’s a sea change’. Three of the four most-watched Premier League games ever in the USA, including the No 1 match, Manchester United versus Arsenal in November, have been during NBC’s current deal. The biggest audience averaged 1.41m people — and that was before breakfast in many cities. The average audience in Britain for a Premier League match across Sky Sport and BT is little more than a million (and almost 500,000 in the US) and the biggest ever audience on Sky averaged below 3 million. United's win over Liverpool attracted 1.2 million on NBC cable and Spanish partner UNIVERSO combined. Manchester United's 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium in November was the most-watched PL game in the US. Liverpool’s defeat by Manchester United last month had an average audience of 1.2 million on NBC cable and Spanish partner UNIVERSO combined. That made it the most-watched PL game screened before 10am in US history. The growth of the interest in America means numbers will swell there, with Martino believing phenomenal increases are likely. ‘NBC cover the Olympics, the NFL, they have been covering the big event for a very long time,’ he says. ‘It’s natural for them. It’s the same template [being used to market the Premier League]. ‘In the United States we talk about the NFL getting 19 million on a Monday night. That’s the bar set. And it’s not hyperbole to be ambitious — that’s what’s going to happen one day with the Premier League.’Liverpool’s defeat by Manchester United last month had an average audience of 1.2 million on NBC cable and Spanish partner UNIVERSO combined. That made it the most-watched PL game screened before 10am in US history. Jon Miller, NBC Sports’ president of programming, said: ‘The Premier League has a very passionate fan base here in the US. It’s also a youthful and affluent fan base as well, relative to other sports on television. ‘We have created a new “day part” in weekend morning television, where fans now come to our networks beginning at 7 in the morning and stay for 5-6 hours. It’s been a terrific partnership. ‘We believe that this is best soccer being played anywhere in the world and Americans gravitate towards the best when available.’
| Rebecca Lowe has helped to enhance Premier League coverage in the US. The NBC anchor insists 'the Premier League sells itself with its drama' Manchester United recent win over Liverpool was the most-watched Premier League game screened before 10am in US history. Man United's 2-1 win at Anfield had an average audience of 1.2 million on NBC cable and Spanish partner UNIVERSO combined.
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Floyd Mayweather may already be close to his fighting weight ahead of his bout with Manny Pacquiao next month, but he isn't always eating what you'd expect from a champion. In a new video released by the champion's 'Money Team', Mayweather's personal chef reveals that he loves his snacks, swapping healthy food for sweets and fizzy drinks on 'snack day'. 'Chef Q' fills two shopping trolleys and spends $321.43 (around £220), as she seeks to make sure she has everything her boss might want. Floyd Mayweather is down to within three-and-a-half pounds of the welterweight limit ahead of mega-fight. Mayweather's chef reveals he gets a lot of his energy from eating sweets like Twizzlers on 'snack day' 'Chef Q' told Mayweather's 'Money Team' she usually makes the champ healthy food, but not on snack day. 'Although I prepare all these organic healthy meals, today is snack day,' says the chef on camera. 'He loves his snacks! 'He usually snacks on different things, Twizzlers is his favourite thing, sometimes he may want cookies, sometimes he may want chips. 'Sometimes he just want ice tea. It's just that simple, but we gotta get what he wants, he's the champ.' As the chef picks up more snacks, including peanut M&Ms and mountains of fizzy drinks, she talks about her role in making Mayweather successful: 'We build champions around here. What would life be like without Kool-aid?'. Mayweather's chef loads the conveyor belt with snacks before spending more than $300. The chef adds a huge pack of M&Ms to the trolley as she spends over $300 on the star's sweet selection.
| Floyd Mayweather 'loves his snacks' according to 'Chef Q' The boxer keeps his training camp stocked with sweets for 'snack day' Chef reveals Mayweather's favourite snack is Twizzlers as she spends over £200 on the champion's sweet-tooth. Mayweather fights Manny Pacquiao in much-anticipated fight on May 2.
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Former Manchester United midfielder Eric Cantona has refuted claims he starred in a soft porn film, insisting You and the Night is a 'piece of art'. The French film has a number of racy scenes, and at one point sees Cantona on his hands and knees in just his underwear. But the 48-year-old is adamant it is not pornography. Speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards in Shanghai, Cantona said: 'Porn? No, it's not porn. It's a piece of art. It's just a piece of art. But you can see it like this. Eric Cantona was speaking to the media at the Shanghai Grand Theatre prior to the Laureus Sports Awards. You and the Night includes a scene in a cage, with Cantona alongside Beatrice Dalle in just his underwear. 'It's beautiful. You should see it. Unfortunately, porn is not so aesthetic and so beautiful. But love is sex also, you know? 'This kind of story for the ones who have seen it - I'm sure nobody has seen it - it's too beautiful. 'This kind of story, when you choose to do it, you have to know the director. If it's somebody special, if it's a real artist, you can do it. You can give, and be confident enough.' Cantona has defended the film, saying it is 'a work of art' and 'beautiful', and not a porn film as some have said. In one scene, Cantona is on his hands and knees in his pants while a woman with a whip stands over him. Cantona stars alongside French actress Beatrice Dalle, playing a character named 'The Stud', and the film has been both praised and slated in equal measure. While one called it a 'superb artistic orgy', another reviewer branded it 'a film that confuses the audience and falls in the gap between arthouse and trashy farce.'
| Eric Cantona stars in a French film called 'You and the Night' The film includes a scene with Cantona on all fours in just his pants. The former Manchester United midfielder says it is not a porn film. Cantona says of the film: 'It's a piece of art... it's beautiful' READ: Cantona whipped in film based around an orgy. Cantona: Man Utd will be in title race next season under Louis van Gaal.
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This is the shocking moment a pit crew member was hit by a car on Sunday during the inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Louisiana. Todd Phillips, a front-outside tire changer for Dayle Coyne Racing, was injured when he was struck by the car of Francesco Dracone, who had come in on Lap 25 for tyres and fuel. Dracone spun while exiting his put box, clipping Phillips' leg. Todd Phillips waits in the pit lane as the car makes a stop during the race in Louisiana. The car of Francesco Dracone spun out of control in the wet conditions as Phillips tried to get out the way. The rear end of the car made contact with the pit crew worker sweeping his legs from underneath him. Phillips was flipped upside down by the force of the car but escaped only with minor injuries. Phillips was taken to the infield care center for treatment where he has received stitches for a cut on his leg and has been released. Many cars struggled with traction during the race after rain had fallen for hours leading up to the green flag. Dracone did not finish the race and wound up 23rd. Tyre changer Todd Phillips, a front-outside tire changer for Dayle Coyne Racing, was injuried when he was struck by the car of Francesco Dracone, who had come in on Lap 25 for tyres and fuel. Francesco Dracone (19), of Italy, spins out on turn one during the IndyCar Grand Prix of Louisiana auto race in Avondale on Sunday.
| Pit crew member Todd Phillips was hit by a car on Sunday during the inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Louisiana. He was injuried when he was struck by the car of Francesco Dracone, who had come in on Lap 25 for tires and fuel. Phillips received stitches for a cut on his leg and has been released. Dracone did not finish the race and wound up 23rd.
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Patrick Bamford believes his long-term future lies at Chelsea and hopes winning the Championship Player of the Year award for his 19-goal season on loan at Middlesbrough will strengthen his case. The striker beat Ipswich Town’s Daryl Murphy and Watford’s Troy Deeney to win the prize at Sunday night’s Football League Awards in central London. After previous loan spells at MK Dons and Derby County, the 21-year-old has produced his best form yet for Aitor Karanka’s promotion-chasing side. And he hopes his success has been noted at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford hopes his long-term future will be at Stamford Bridge. Bamford takes centre stage after collecting the Championship Player of the Year award on Sunday. ‘There’s no reason why I wouldn’t want to be at Chelsea,’ he said. ‘That's my dream, to pull on that blue shirt, so hopefully it'll come true. ‘In the Premier League, strikers are about 23 or 24 if they're playing week-in, week-out and at a club like Chelsea, you've got the money to go out and buy a world class striker like Diego Costa. ‘And there's also that pressure they need to win trophies, win the league. It's just one of those things, you have to stick with it, be patient and hopefully the rewards will come.’ Bamford believes Middlesbrough has been the perfect fit for him because the styles of Karanka and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho are so similar. The 21-year-old striker has scored 17 Championship goals for Middlesbrough this season. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (right) has been impressed with Bamford's attitude as well as his development. He said: ‘At the start of the season, I had a discussion with Chelsea and they decided that out of the clubs that were interested, Middlesbrough would be the best fit. ‘Not only for me as a player but it would make me ready for Chelsea next year or the year after.’ Before he returns to London, Bamford will play an integral role in trying to get Middlesbrough over the line in an insanely tight Championship promotion race. Their 1-0 win at Norwich City on Friday night could prove vital, though Watford and Bournemouth overtook them again on Saturday. The young striker will have to compete with the likes of Diego Costa when he is called back to Chelsea. Bamford is hoping to help Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough side get promoted to the Premier League. Bamford, who had to come off before the end at Carrow Road, said: ‘A massive result. I can't put into words how much it meant to us, you saw the reaction of the staff after the game and after I went off and had to sit on the bench, it was the worst 10 or 15 minutes since I've become a footballer. ‘In that game, it was awful, there's nothing you can do on the sidelines and it makes you see what it's like for managers. ‘You can see the work we put in week-in, week-out on the training ground, we do deserve to go up but I think a lot of teams think the same thing. Bamford hopes to be part of Gareth Southgate’s England Under 21 squad for the European Championships. ‘It's going to be tight, it's going to be an exciting finish to be sure.’ After that, Bamford hopes to be part of Gareth Southgate’s England Under 21 squad for the European Championships in the Czech Republic this summer. He said: ‘That's my aim and with the friendlies with Germany and the Czech Republic, I had to pull out because I've had a problem with my toe for the last few months. ‘I spoke to Gareth about it and he said make sure I'm okay for the summer because that's the aim. First priority is to get promoted with Middlesbrough and then after to try and win the Euros.’
| Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford has impressed at Middlesbrough. 21-year-old has scored 17 Championship goals so far this season. Bamford insists he wants his long-term future to be at Stamford Bridge.
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A driver who was pulled over for suspected drink driving is seen in a video being clubbed by two policemen as he lays on the ground. Sean Reardon was stopped by police as he drove through Chico in California and claims once he was out of the car he was wrestled to the floor by two police officers who then hit him with a baton or stick. Video footage of the incident, taken by a bystander, has emerged and shows the 30-year-old being repeatedly hit by an officer as he lay on the road. Scroll down for video. A video has emerged which shows a man being beaten as he lays on the floor after being pulled over by police. The clip, posted by Action News Now, shows Reardon appearing to be hit with force multiple times. It is likely to inflame tensions in America about police brutality after a number of high profile incidents of beatings and fatal shootings have been caught on camera. Reardon claims he was subjected to violence 'without provocation' and suffered acute respiratory failure and had to be put on a ventilator in hospital. He was in ICU for 4 days. He says he also suffered multiple broken bones, including ribs, nose and sternum. Reardon told TMZ that after he got out of his Chevy Suburban near 5th and Main Streets in Chico, he was tackled to the floor and 'hog tied'. He said he was then thrown into the back of a van by police before being taken to hospital after the incident on February 18, at about 9.40pm. Officers claim Reardon had failed to appear at court on gun charges and refused to raise his hands after being stopped. They said he then attempted to flee when pulled over. In the footage an officer is shown repeatedly hitting Reardon with an object as he lay on the ground. Butte County Chief deputy District Attorney claimed the officers used force to restrain Reardon. He was said to be almost twice over the legal limit for driving and had traces of methamphetamine and cocaine in his blood. Reardon had allegedly hit two cars while trying to get away from the officers, KRCRtv reported. After he hit a parked car he is said to have got out of the vehicle and approached an officer, before complying with orders to lie on the ground. Reardon has denied charges of evading a peace officer, DUI, DUI with alcohol or drugs within 10 years of a prior, and resisting an executive officer. He has not been granted bail. Reardon is on the floor as one of the officers crouches down beside him and the other gets ready to hit him. The 30-year-old claims he was left with broken bones and ribs after being subjected to the brutal beating. The video footage has emerged as tensions over police brutality have increased in America following a number of shootings and incidences of violence caught on camera in recent weeks. This week helicopter cameras captured police beating Francis Pusok at least 80 times after they had already tasered him. Police had tried to arrest him at his southern California and he fled on a horse - sparking a two hour chase before he fell off and was beaten. Last week footage emerged of unarmed black man Derek Harris, 44, being shot dead by a 74-year-old reserve deputy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He claimed he had accidentally mistaken his hand gun for his taser and had not intended to kill Mr Harris, who was being chased by police following a sting operation. Walter Scott was shot in the back as he attempted to flee police, after being pulled over for a broken tail light. Officers were seen surrounding Francis Pusok as he lay on the ground after falling off his horse. Police officer Michael Slager was charged with murder earlier this month after video captured on a mobile phone showed him shooting Walter Scott, a coast guard veteran, in the back as he ran away. Mr Scott had been pulled over for driving with a broken tail light. Evidence of police brutality has caused outrage in America and led to high profile protests. Hundreds of protesters wore 'I can't breathe' t-shirts at a basketball match in Brooklyn in tribute to black father-of-six Eric Garner who died after being held in a fatal chokehold. Last year days of protests were held after the shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. The 18-year-old was stopped and shot dead by by white officer Darren Wilson in the St Louis, Missouri, suburb on August 9.
| Sean Reardon was stopped by police on suspected drunk driving charges. He claims once he got out of the car he was wrestled by two police. Mr Reardon said he was beaten as he lay on the floor in Chico, California. Said he suffered broken bones and ribs as well as breathing problems.
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Incredible footage has captured the moment a huge stingray nibbles on a freediver’s head, gliding back and forth over the man’s body gently on the ocean floor. The video shows the incredibly peaceful encounter between the ray and Johnny Debnam, a 29-year-old commercial diver and ocean lover. Mr Debnam was free diving in water four metres deep; holding his breath and diving down to the depths of the ocean on Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia. Johnny Debnam says he felt completely at ease with the stingray, although he was aware of the risks. The commercial diver was free diving four metres beneath the ocean when he had his snuggle with the ray. ‘I was totally at peace. I loved that thing going over the top of me,’ Johnny Debnam said of the experience. The video shows the swimmer completely motionless in the seagrass, with the enormous 150 kilogram ray rubbing itself back and forward over his body - even nibbling at his head. ‘I blew all my air out and was totally calm and at his level,’ explained Mr Debnam during a mini documentary produced for his production company Terra Australis TV. Mr Debnam was completely enveloped underneath the stingray, but he remained calm and insists he relished every minute of the wonderful experience. The stingray is a potentially dangerous creature. If provoked it may use its spiky tail – known as a barb- to spear the victim and inject them with a deadly poison. Tragically, animal activist and Australian icon Steve Irwin was killed after a deadly encounter with a stingray. In September 2006 the creature stabbed him with its barb 'hundreds of times' as he filmed a documentary near Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. However Mr Debnam's relationship with the stingray was incredibly harmonious. He is experienced with marine life and in the video demonstrates his behaviour to be gentle and threatening, and the stingray appears to reward him with some appreciative cuddles! Johnny Debnam did not have any breathing equipment on when he let all his air out and calmly lay still on the ocean floor. The majestic stingray swum over him three times, enveloping him under his body as he glided on top. ‘Those things are huge. They’re massive and they could really mess you up if they wanted to,’ Debnam said during his Terris Australis TV documentary. ‘But, they won’t if they don’t want to.’ Responding to his calm nature, the curious stingray repeatedly glides over him, as if to try to determine what exactly it had found nestled amongst the reeds. Debnam is ecstatic after his snuggled with the majestic, friendly creature. ‘I was totally at peace. I loved that thing going over the top of me,’ he said. ‘It was awesome! It did it three times and I wanted it to do it again. ‘It was a bit of a rush really!’ Responding to his calm nature, the curious stingray repeatedly glides over him, as if to try to determine what exactly it had found nestled amongst the reeds. The production company he co-created, Terra Australis TV, specialises in creating stunning cinematography of the incredible creatures beneath the ocean’s surface in Western Australia. Debnam and his cameraman Cameron Wallace are passionate about showing the ocean respect whilst exploring and filming the wonders of the sea. ‘That’s what makes you feel alive. Natural, awesome, pure things like (swimming with a stingray),’ said Debnam. ‘You can’t buy it.’ See www.terraaustralis.tv. Debnam and his cameraman Cameron Wallace are passionate about showing the ocean respect whilst exploring and filming the wonders of the sea.
| Footage shows stingray gliding itself over a diver's body on ocean floor. Diver and documentary maker Johnny Debnam was free-diving, meaning diving without a breathing apparatus. He lay motionless on the ocean floor and stingray came to investigate. Stingrays are potentially deadly animals due to their dangerous barbs.
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As composed and as comfortable as Manchester City were here at the Etihad, performances like this succeed only in highlighting the full extent of their failure this season. In Sergio Aguero they boast the joint leading scorer in the Barclays Premier League. Here against West Ham he scored his 20th of the campaign. And in David Silva and Jesus Navas, not to mention a seemingly revitalised Yaya Toure, they had players far too accomplished for the quality of this opposition. But such a dominant, determined display must leave the club’s owners wondering why on earth this was only their third win in nine games after a run of six defeats in their previous eight. Why, even when West Ham were as abject as they were until City lost Silva to serious injury, they have been unable to play with such confidence more frequently. Sergio Aguero slotted Manchester City into a two goal lead after a fine flowing counter attack by the home side against West Ham. The Argentine striker sprints away in celebration having fired in his 20th league goal of the season to put Manchester City 2-0 up at the break. Jesus Navas (right), who provided the assist for Aguero, congratulates his team-mate as Manchester City celebrated going 2-0 up at the Etihad. West Ham defender James Collins (centre) watches on in despair as his miss-timed clearance loops over Adrian for an own goal. Manchester City (4-5-1): Hart 6; Zabaleta 6.5, Demichelis 6, Mangala 7, Kolarov 6.5; Lampard 6 (Fernandinho 88), Fernando 6.5, Navas 8, Toure 7, Silva 6.5 (Nasri 75); Aguero 7.5 (Dzeko 90) Subs not used: Sagna, Caballero, Boyata, Pozo. Booked: Navas, Silva. Scorers: Collins OG 18, Aguero 36. Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 6.5. Man of the match: Jesus Navas. West Ham (4-3-3): Adrian 6; Jenkinson 6, Collins 5, Reid 5.5, Cresswell 5.5; Noble 5, Song 5 (Jarvis 66), Kouyate 6; Downing 4.5, Cole 4.5 (Nolan 66), Valencia 6. Subs not used: Carvalho, O'Brien, Amalfitano, Jaaskelainen, Burke. Booked: Kouyate, Downing. Manager: Sam Allardyce 5. Referee: Anthony Taylor 6.5. Attendance: 45,041. Sergio Aguero capped off a fine Manchester City counter attack (above). CLICK HERE to see more from Sportsmail's MATCH ZONE. Presumably a victory that strengthens City’s position among the Champions League places, on a weekend when Manchester United lost, eases the pressure on Manuel Pellegrini. But there is sure to remain a fair amount of frustration in Abu Dhabi that the last few months have proved so problematic. By the end of this encounter the greater, more pressing, concern was for the welfare of Silva. Injured from what both managers agreed was an accidental elbow in the face from Cheikhou Kouyate midway through the second half, the Spanish international required oxygen before leaving the pitch on a stretcher after eight minutes of treatment. He was then taken to hospital. But other problems nevertheless remain for City’s manager Pellegrini when he had to wake to headlines being generated by the notoriously vocal agent of Toure, who reportedly accused the Chilean of being ‘a weak manager’ as well as criticising other prominent members of the club hierarchy, too. Pellegrini was asked to respond but declined to comment. With managers such as Jurgen Klopp now available for hire, these stories are poorly timed for Pellegrini. But he can at least take comfort in the way his team responded to that crushing defeat at Old Trafford the previous weekend. ‘After two defeats in a row it was a very important win,’ added Pellegrini. Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini watches on at the Etihad Stadium as his side seeked to get back to winning ways on Sunday. Cheikhou Kouyate (left) tries to keep possession under the challenge from Manchester City skipper Yaya Toure. English duo Mark Noble (left) and Frank Lampard vie for the ball as West Ham traveled to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City. Aleksandar Kolarov goes down under the challenge of West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson in the penalty area but was only awarded a corner. With another match here at home coming next, against Aston Villa, City’s manager is sure to be encouraged by the form of Aguero. Until Sunday he had failed to score a Premier League goal from open play at the Etihad since November 2. But the goal he scored in this contest was neatly taken; much more like the striker City’s subdued supporters have grown to admire. He thrived on the possession City were enjoying — 75 per cent for the first 15 minutes — and joined Silva and Alek-sandar Kolarov in threatening West Ham’s goal early on. City’s opening goal, scored after 18 minutes, was an absolute horror for West Ham. First came Aaron Cresswell’s failure to win an aerial contest with the diminutive Navas, and then a spectacular own goal from James Collins. Winger Stewart Downing (centre) attempts to avoid the attention of Manchester City full back Aleksandar Kolarov at the Etihad Stadium. Argentine right back Pablo Zabaleta reacts after referee Anthony Taylor awards a freekick to West Ham for a foul on Alex Song (right) Adrian (centre) desperately attempts to keep out a deflected James Collins clearance but the ball ends up in the back of the net. In trying to intercept a cross from Navas, the West Ham centre half succeeded only in scoring with a sliced volley, the ball spinning off his boot and over the head of Adrian before flying home via the underside of the crossbar. If it was a little unfortunate for the visitors it remained a product of the pressure City were exerting. A West Ham side probably unsettled by the uncertainty surrounding their own manager offered little in return. Carlton Cole almost seized on a mistake from Martin Demichelis only for Joe Hart to block his shot, while City’s goalkeeper then marked his 28th birthday by denying Enner Valencia. West Ham centre back is left stunned after his mis-timed clearance turned into an unfortunate own goal during the first-half. Sergio Aguero collects the ball after Manchester City's opener despite West Ham keeper Adrian's (centre) best efforts to keep it out. The Manchester City players celebrate having taken an early lead at the Etihad on Sunday against West Ham during the Premier League clash. The control nevertheless remained with City, a second goal arriving in the 36th minute after Toure had regained possession from Stewart Downing. A rapidly executed counter-attack followed, with Aguero and Navas combining impressively before Aguero slotted home his 101st Manchester City goal. In the dug-out Sam Allardyce appeared thoroughly hacked off, and understandably so given the ineptitude of his defenders and his side’s lack of ambition going forward. He responded at the start of the second half by pushing Valencia into a more attacking role alongside Cole. But it was City who continued to press, with Adrian doing well to deny Aguero a second. The injury to Silva — earning Kouyate a yellow card despite the fact that it really didn’t look intentional — disrupted City’s rhythm and gave West Ham a little encouragement. Downing went close, as did Valencia. But to no avail. For once Pellegrini had reason to feel a touch more secure. Manchester City playmaker David Silva slips through a pass during another attack for the home side against West Ham on Sunday. Aguero sprints towards the City fans who erupted into celebration having seen the Argentine score their second goal on Sunday. Frank Lampard lets fire with a shot at the Etihad Stadium but couldn't find the back of the net with this long range effort on Sunday afternoon. England No 1 goalkeeper Joe Hart had a quiet afternoon but still managed to impress with a couple of fine saves to maintain a clean sheet. Navas leaps into action to nod on a pass at the Etihad Stadium with West Ham striker Carlton Cole (right) watching on. Anthony Taylor books West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate (centre) after he appeared to elbow David Silva. Silva had to receive treatment on the pitch for over six minutes after the collision with Kouyate abd was eventually replaced. Silva had to be replaced late in the second-half and exited the filed of play on a stretcher after being hit in the face by Kouyate's elbow. Joe Hart, 28 years-old on Sunday, watches on at the Etihad as his Manchester City side faced West Ham in the Premier League.
| The home side were gifted the lead after James Collins sliced a cross over Adrian for an astonishing own goal. A devastating counter-attacking goal was swept in by Sergio Aguero for his 20th league goal of the season. The victory moved Manuel Pellegrini's side back to within one point of Manchester United in third in the league. CLICK HERE for the player ratings from the Etihad Stadium after Jesus Navas steals the show.
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At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in January Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone were runners-up as Joachim Low won the best coach award for guiding Germany to the World Cup. As the two men small-talked in Zurich, Simeone is understood to have asked Ancelotti how life was in Madrid and his answer demonstrated perfectly the dynamic between the two men. He said he was happy in the city and keen to stay, but that life would be a lot easier if Simeone were not on the other side of town managing Atletico Madrid. Having already lost the Spanish Super Cup to Simeone at the start of the season, and the first league meeting between the two teams, since the FIFA gala Ancelotti has been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by his nemesis and beaten 4-0 in the league. The pressure is on Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid when Atletico Madrid visit the Bernabeu on Sunday. Ancelotti reportedly told Diego Simeone that life in Madrid would be a lot easier if Atletico weren't around. Simeone (left) and Ancelotti (right) were runners-up behind Joachim Low at the Ballon d'Or in January. ‘We don’t need to beat them, we just need to go through’ was how he approached the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. That would have been fine had Real marked-up a high-scoring draw in the Calderon but the 0-0 somehow scraped by Atletico Madrid last Tuesday means that now a draw will not send Real Madrid through. Carlo needs to beat Diego – or else it’s either elimination or penalties. Ancelotti’s overall record against Simeone is poor with just three wins in 12 games. He has been beaten twice by his team in the league this season, losing one and drawing one in the domestic competition last season. He did win both legs of a Copa del Rey tie last season but this season Atletico got their cup revenge with an away draw and a home win to knock Real out. Atletico also won the Spanish Super Cup in August. The overall record is 12 played, three won, four drawn and five lost. The games are tight, usually low scoring and uncomfortably physical for Real who, Sergio Ramos and Pepe aside, are short of players who have quite the same appetite for a battle. Ancelotti may well pick both on Wednesday night, and a third centre back in Rafael Varane as he looks to match the visitors for force. If all three are picked Pepe would step into a midfield enforcer’s role that he has not occupied since the days of Jose Mourinho. Real Madrid have struggled against Atletico in recent years and were beaten 4-0 in La Liga in February. The headlines from Spanish publications AS and Marca on Wednesday focused on the huge derby game. The Champions League quarter-final first leg finished 0-0 after a physical game at the Vicente Calderon. There are seven players who a booking away from missing the first leg of the semi-final and German midfielder Toni Kroos, who is among them, has already lit the blue touch paper suggesting Atletico Madrid’s players are experts in pressuring the referee. The question of what will happen to Ancelotti if he loses has already been extensively debated in Madrid. It wouldn’t necessarily be the end of him but he would certainly have to overhaul Barcelona’s two point advantage in the league – winning nothing would be grounds for automatic dismissal regardless of the Champions League he delivered last season. At times this season his team has looked like surpassing the exploits of last year’s campaign – the run of 22 straight wins that also saw them crowned World Club champions in December in Malaysia was the stuff of future legend but the season collapsed in February and the bouquets for the Italian turned into brickbats overnight. Toni Kroos is a yellow card away from European suspension while Ancelotti has several players missing. The Italian coach watches his players, including Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) train in Madrid on Monday. Injuries played their part in the massive downturn. Sergio Ramos and Pepe were missing from defence and Luka Modric and James Rodriguez from midfield. Supporters bemoaned the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema should still have been able to carry the team to victories but that view did a huge disservice to the way Modric controls games, Rodriguez loads the bullets for the front three to fire, and Pepe and Ramos' pace enables the team to play ten yards higher up the pitch than when they are not available. Just when it seemed Real would be at full-strength for the run-in Modric has gone down with knee ligament trouble likely to rule him out for six weeks and Benzema, Bale and Marcelo are also all missing on Wednesday night. Ancelotti resisted the opportunity to get his excuses in early on Tuesday when he said he had the ‘best squad in the world’. He will hope that message of confidence inspires his players at the Bernabeu. And of course in among all the bad omens there is one exceptionally positive precedent: in Lisbon last May, Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 and lifted the European Cup. If Ancelotti and Real were to lose on Wednesday night then only La Liga glory would be enough to save his job. Cristiano Ronaldo struck in the Champions League final in a rare 4-1 victory for Real against their city rivals.
| Real Madrid host Atletico in Champions League quarter-final second leg. First leg at Vicente Calderon finished 0-0 after physical encounter. Carlo Ancelotti reportedly spoke to Diego Simeone about life in Madrid. Italian boss told him life would be a lot easier if Atletico weren't around. Real must win at the Bernabeu to go through, and Ancelotti may not last. Winning nothing at Real Madrid results in an automatic dismissal. Galacticos are currently two points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona. Ancelotti has only won three times in 12 games against Simeone's Atletico.
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David Cameron today accused the BBC of peddling ‘b*******’ after claiming his favourite sport was foxhunting. The Tory leader hit back at presenter Andrew Marr, after being left baffled by questions during an interview on Sunday. It came as Mr Cameron turned the clock back to ape John Major’s election soapbox by climbing on to a wooden pallet to address the party faithful, but ended up being heckled by someone claiming ‘the NHS is dying’. David Cameron today turned the clock back to ape John Major’s election soapbox by climbing on to a wooden pallet to address the party faithful. Mr Cameron promised at the weekend that he would ‘take to the streets’ to defend the Tory record and urge voters to reject both Labour and Ukip. He said he had ‘upped the tempo’ to make the case that his economic plan is working. But he took time out from the campaign today to escalate his row with the BBC after appearing on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning. Marr claimed the PM recently told the Countryside Alliance magazine that his favourite sport was fox hunting. ‘Is that really true?’ he asked. Mr Cameron replied: ‘No, I am a believer in…’ But Marr interrupted again: ‘You said it’s my favourite sport which I love.’ Again Mr Cameron insisted: ‘No I love walking, I love fishing, I love all sorts of sports.’ On the campaign trail in Yorkshire, Mr Cameron hit back at the BBC for claiming he had said foxhunting is his favourite sport. The Tory leader was heckled as he addressed party activists and workers from Decorative Panels during a campaign visit to Calder Valley. But in an article for the magazine, Mr Cameron actually said: ‘I have always been a strong supporter of country sports. ‘It is my firm belief that people should have the freedom to hunt, so I share the frustration that many people feel about the Hunting Act and the way it was brought in by the last government.’ Marr later admitted on Twitter that he had made an error: ‘Honest mistake – I was wrong – sorry. Cock up not conspiracy, but wrong on my part.’ Today Mr Cameron revealed how he thought it was wrong at the time of the interiview. He told the Spectator: ‘The old mental filing system, you’re going ‘drrrrrr’ through, and thinking… but I knew the article because I wrote it myself… I just thought maybe there’s something else. ‘You never know, something might have been written by someone else. So I thought it was bollocks. And it was bollocks.’ BBC presenter Andrew Marr has admitted he made a mistake on Sunday, but insisted it was a 'cock up not conspiracy' He insisted foxhunting was not his favourite sport, adding: ‘I am what I am. I’m a country boy, I like the countryside, I support country sports. ‘But my favourite sport is tennis, for the avoidance of doubt. And I’m quite good at it.’ Mr Cameron’s decision to use a soapbox came on the day Sir John urged the party to explain how economic growth improves people’s lives. But all did not go according to plan, as the Tory leader was was challenged by a heckler as he gave his stump speech at Decorative Panels in Calder Valley. The man, who appeared to be an employee of the firm, shouted: "The NHS is dying... Not talking about that, are you?" Colleagues seemed to urge him to be quiet, and the Prime Minister continued without further disruption. The man walked off back towards the offices immediately after the address without speaking to journalists.
| Tory leader hits back at BBC's Andrew Marr after interview on live TV. Marr twice said the PM told a magazine foxhunting is his favourite sport. Presenter has admitted mistake, insisting it was a 'cock up not conspiracy' Cameron climbs on to wooden pallet to address party faithful in Yorkshire. But he was heckled by a factory worker who said the 'NHS is dying'
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Serie A champions Juventus want to strengthen their attacking options this summer with a big-money move for PSG striker Edinson Cavani, according to a report in Italy. Corriere dello Sport claim that Juve have a plan in place to sign the in-demand Uruguayan as they look to partner him with fellow South American Carlos Tevez. Cavani, who played for Italian sides Palermo and Napoli before joining PSG in a £50million deal in 2013, has admitted his frustration at being played out of position under Laurent Blanc. PSG striker Edinson Cavani (left) is a target for Juventus according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. Manchester United also hold an interest in Cavani, pictured in action against Marseille last weekend. He told Canal Plus: 'The only concern that I have ever spoken about is that I was recruited to play as a striker with (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic and it has not always been the case. 'There is a long series of games where I have not scored in Ligue 1 but that can happen. In France, people judge me as a lone striker, but I do not play in that position.' Former Manchester United boss David Moyes attempted to sign Cavani before he joined PSG and the Old Trafford club remain interested in acquiring him when the transfer window reopens. Louis van Gaal is hoping to bring two new strikers to Old Trafford this summer with Radamel Falcao unlikely to turn his loan move into a permanent one and Robin van Persie being eyed by both Juve and Inter Milan. United appear to have an advantage over Juventus in their pursuit of Cavani after the player's agent, Claudio Anelucci, admitted that a move to England or Spain was most likely. Cavani (left) has admitted that he is concerned about playing out of position under Laurent Blanc (right) Cavani's agent Claudio Anelucci says his client is most likely to move to England or Spain this summer. He told Gazzetta dello Sport: 'Is Cavani on the market? At this point it's a little early to say. 'Edi is under contract at Paris Saint-Germain and there are several factors that come into play with respect to his future.' 'Once the situation is clarified there are several different scenarios given that players like him, at his level of maturity, are coveted by the biggest clubs in Europe. 'The market would seem to suggest Spain or England - we can't say at the present time that an Italian club could participate in the bidding for Cavani.'
| Juventus want PSG's Edinson Cavani according to Corriere dello Sport. The Italian newspaper claim that Cavani would partner Carlos Tevez. Manchester United are also interested in the Uruguayan striker. Cavani's agent has talked up a move to England or Spain this summer. READ: Manchester United consider Cavani transfer.
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Siem de Jong is on track to play a part in Newcastle's Barclays Premier League clash with Swansea after taking another step towards ending his eight-month injury nightmare. The 26-year-old Holland international midfielder played 72 minutes for the club's Under-21s and set up striker Adam Armstrong for the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa on Monday evening. It was his second appearance for Peter Beardsley's side since recovering from surgery to repair a collapsed lung and while he admits he is still short of match fitness, he is in contention for a seat on the bench at St James' Park on Saturday if head coach John Carver requires him. Siem de Jong, pictured in Newcastle training last week, played 72 minutes for the U21s on Tuesday. De Jong has only made one league start this season but hopes to be involved in first-team again soon. De Jong told nufcTV: 'The plan always was to be part of that game, to be on the bench. I played 72, 73 minutes and hopefully I can be part of the team next week. 'We will see what happens. I don't think I could play 90 minutes yet, especially not on a level higher, so we will have to build it up and see how it goes.' De Jong, a £6million summer signing from Ajax, has made only three senior appearances and just a single league start for the club after first suffering a serious thigh injury and then being laid low by a recurrence of a lung problem. His battle for fitness has proved both gruelling and frustrating, and he is already looking forward to the start of the new campaign and launching his Magpies career in earnest. He said: 'It's getting a little bit better. I still feel that it just improves every day, but I still need to keep on improving. I feel it in the power training, but also on the field and in the game. 'I just need to get a few more games in, and I think that will hopefully be a couple of games his season, otherwise start again good next season from pre-season on.' The Dutchman was a £6m summer signing from Ajax but has struggled with injuries. De Jong was signed to help provide a link between midfield and attack and the kind of invention he provides has been sadly lacking for much of the campaign, particularly in recent weeks as a run of six successive league defeats has left Newcastle too close for comfort to the relegation zone. Victory - something they have not tasted since February 28 - over the Swans on Saturday would go a long way towards erasing any fears of being sucked into trouble, although with many fans in open rebellion over owner Mike Ashley's stewardship, it may do little to ease the tension on Tyneside.
| Siem de Jong set up Adam Armstrong for winner in 2-1 Aston Villa win. It was his second game for U21s since surgery to repair collapsed lung. The £6m summer signing has only made one league start for Newcastle.
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This will prove yet another bitter pill for Saracens to swallow. The hurt of losing back-to-back European and domestic finals last year took Mark McCall’s men all of last summer and a good chunk of this season to overcome. This time they must lick their wounds and refocus their efforts on the Aviva Premiership after coming up short against Clermont. Clermont warm up in front of their supporters at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne. Clermont centre Wesley Fofana attempts an offload following a crunching hit from Marcelo Bosch. Saracens flanker Maro Itojie secures a loose ball on the deck during a tight first half of action. There should be no shame in this defeat. Whereas Northampton capitulated embarrassingly against the same opponents a fortnight ago, Saracens stood tall on Saturday. Saracens’ long-suffering chairman Nigel Wray, who has pumped tens of millions of pounds into this club over the past two decades, took the opportunity on Saturday morning to repeat his conviction that English clubs will never be able to compete with French teams if the domestic salary cap is not raised. But it can only be a matter of time before Saracens deliver. With five of their starting pack under the age of 24 — all English qualified — they have forwards who will surely develop into a world-class outfit. Twenty-year-old Maro Itoje was impressive making his first start in Europe, while the Vunipola brothers were magnificent. Ultimately the better side won, and Clermont will head into their second European final confident they can land their first European title. Saracens pressurised Clermont with the same fierce defence that knocked them so spectacularly off their stride in last year’s semi-final at Twickenham. Sarries No 8 Billy Vunipola makes a strong run as Radosavljevic tries to halt his progress. The difference this time was that Clermont knew what was coming and were able to keep their wits about them, buoyed by a partisan crowd. ‘I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like that,’ said McCall. ’The effort and many aspects of our performance were phenomenal. We made Clermont play a a game they didn’t want to play. The game was on a knife edge with 10 minutes to go but games like that are decided by small margins.’ As evidence of their dominance, Clermont will point to Wesley Fofana’s superbly taken second-half try and a 19th-minute incident which saw Naipolini Nalaga denied what should have been a penalty try. Chris Ashton knocked him into touch without attempting to wrap his arms around him. Saracens full back Alex Goode tries to sidestep Clermont scrum half Ludovic Radosavljevic. But, had Jacques Burger been able to cling on to a knock-on from Nalaga with less than 10 minutes on the clock after Richard Wigglesworth’s superb chase and tackle of Alex Goode’s clearance, Saracens could so easily have won this game. It is hard to comprehend how the club will pick themselves up from yet another shattering defeat to deliver domestic silverware. But, after winning at Racing Metro in the quarter final while watching Premiership rivals Northampton capitulate to Clermont two weeks ago, McCall’s men still have every chance of delivering a trophy this season. ‘It won’t deter us from our goal,’ insisted Wigglesworth, who is playing the best rugby of his career. Richard Wigglesworth feeds the ball into a Saracens scrum as referee George Clancy watches on. ‘It’s easy to focus on the negatives when we have just lost a game like that. But we’re unbelievably proud of that performance and we’ve got a week to rest out battered bodies and go again.’ Saracens face Northampton at Stadium MK next Saturday, before having the following weekend off when they will watch on enviously as Clermont contest the Champions Cup final at Twickenham against either Leinster or Toulon, who will go head to head on Sunday. But on reflection, Saracens will be buoyed by this performance. Itoje is a rare prospect capable of explosive bursts of power and hugely athletic around the field while Billy and Mako Vunipola are two of the most destructive carriers in Europe. They have both returned to their best following a slow start to the season, while Saracens scrum is also in fine shape. Saracens fly half Charlie Hodgson clears his lines under pressure from the Clermont defence. Charlie Hodgson missed two critical long-range penalties on Saturday but the veteran fly half has been magnificent this season and the second-half appearance of Owen Farrell from the bench saw the England No 10 make his first appearance since rupturing knee ligaments in January. With Schalk Britz and Brad Barritt both fit again, only the absence of Captain Alistair Hargreaves with concussion-related symptoms weakens McCall’s squad. They will hurt from this no doubt. But in the cold light of day, Saracens will realise many of their boys became men on Saturday. The future remains bright for them on the field.
| Saracens lead 6-3 at the break thanks to two Charlie Hodgson penalties. Wesley Fofana raced onto a Brock James chip for the opening try. A late Owen Farrell penalty kept Saracens in the hunt. But Brock James struck a 72nd penalty to seal the win.
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Manchester United and Liverpool target Danny Ings insists his aim for next season is to play and develop wherever he ends up. The Burnley striker's future has been the subject of considerable speculation with the 22-year-old also linked with moves to Borussia Monchengladbach and David Moyes' Real Sociedad. However, Ings - who has scored nine goals during his debut Premier League season - is keen to keep his career moving forward and does not want sit on the bench. Burnley striker Danny Ings insists he is aiming to play and develop wherever he ends up next season. Ings, who has scored nine Premier League goals, is a target for Manchester United and Liverpool. Speaking to The Independent, Ings said: 'One thing I don't want to do is go somewhere and, not rot, but all of a sudden disappear for a while. [Somewhere] you don't really get a look-in. I always back myself and no matter what step I take next I want to do well. 'One thing I do want next year no matter where I am – and I don't know where that is going to be – is to work with a manager who is going to coach me and really develop me as a player. That's all you can ask for, to learn and be the best you can be. It is important that you do get football. A lot of other things can suck you in when it comes to moves and I am sure that it has happened in the past to people. My main aim next year is, wherever I am, to play football and to enjoy it and develop. 'You don't want to have a good couple of years, come through the Championship, have a good first year in the Premier League and then not play in the Premier League for another year or so because that is a backward step. No matter what contract anyone is on it is important that you are playing football. It is a short career and you have to earn a living but at the same time playing football is the best way to get better contracts anyway. That's the way I look at things.'
| Danny Ings is a target for Manchester United and Liverpool this summer. The Burnley striker does not want to move just to sit on the bench. Ings keen to work with a manager who will help him develop as a player.
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Pep Guardiola went into Bayern Munich's Champions League second-leg against Porto under intensifying pressure after a 3-1 defeat in the first encounter. His side responded ruthlessly, obliterating Porto - and Guardiola's doubters - with a relentless attacking display and a 6-1 scoreline at the Allianz Arena to reach the semi-final but it is not just the blistering offensive play that seizes the front pages in Germany on Wednesday. That honour is taken by Guardiola's trousers, which tore at the top of his leg during the game. Bild (left) lead on Pep Guardiola's trousers while Kurier report on a 'fixed' Bayern Munich after beating Porto. Guardiola had a tear in his trousers as he orchestrated Bayern's big win from the sidelines against Porto. Bild lead with the picture of Guardiola's trousers and the headline '6-1! It even bursts Pep's pants!' Kurier took a more reserved approach the morning after the match, leading with the headline 'safety for fixed Bayern'. The reaction in Portugal was much more damming after Porto's humiliating demolition. 'Terror in Munich' reports Abola, who reflect on a 'tragic half hour' where Bayern blitzed Porto with three strikes to overturn to the 3-1 deficit, before going on to notch another three, reaching five at half-time. Record simply lead with 'disaster' on their front page, adding that Porto had 'the worst defeat in their European history.' Abola (left) report on Porto's 'terror in Munich' while Record called the defeat a 'disaster' for the team. L'equipe lead with a 'giant' evening approaching for Monaco while Barcelona 'fly into the semis' In France, L'equipe are building up to Monaco's quarter-final second leg against runaway Serie A leaders Juventus, who hold the advantage in tie with a 1-0 lead. The paper says 'it would be giant' if Monaco overturn the score and reach the semi-finals of the competition. In Spain, Mundo Deportivo lead with Barcelona 'flying into the semis' after a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Nou Camp sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory.
| Bayern Munich thrashed Porto 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Bayern trailed 3-1 after their first leg defeat in Portugal. Manager Pep Guardiola appeared with a tear in his trousers on the sideline.
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Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood has offered encouragement to a six-year-old fan he beat to the job. Charlie Pye, from Leamington Spa, applied for the Villa hotseat after Paul Lambert was sacked in February. The Villa fan wanted a chocolate bar as a win bonus and would have agreed terms for a signed claret and blue football, a WWE wrestling figure and some sweets. Sherwood wrote Charlie a letter congratulating him on his credentials, despite missing out on the job. Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood (centre) showed his softer side by replying to 6-year-old Charlie Pye. He wrote: 'From your letter it is clear to see that you would indeed be an ideal candidate for the job due to your knowledge of the game - and your very capable backroom staff, of course! 'Hopefully you're not too disappointed at missing out and I'm informed that I just managed to pip you to the post so you were very close to being offered the job. 'Our chief executive Tom Fox has informed me that the club would like your permission to keep the letter on file 'just in case' - although I'm hoping I will be successful at this great football club. The youngster applied for the role when Paul Lambert was sacked but was pipped to the post by Sherwood. 'I will certainly be aiming to make you and all the other supporters happy. 'In terms of your football career, I want to wish Norton Lindsey every success this season. Well done on being appointed captain. I was a captain during my own playing career - it's a special honour.' Sherwood has guided Villa six points above the relegation zone in the Barclays Premier League after Saturday's 1-0 win at former club Tottenham and taken them to Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. Charlie had written to chief executive Tom Fox after Lambert was sacked with Villa in the relegation zone earlier this year. Pye is captain of Norton Lindsey and got a special message from Sherwood about being a captain. He wrote: 'I would appoint my mum and dad as assistant managers so they can drive me to the training ground each day. My mum is also very good at making bacon sandwiches for the players if that helps.' Charlie told the club's official site: 'I never expected a letter from the manager but I was absolutely delighted to get one. 'What he wrote was brilliant - it meant a lot to me. Even the stuff about congratulating me on being a captain was really special.' The 6-year-old would have appointed his parents as assistant managers if he had been offered the dream job.
| Tim Sherwood took time to reply to Aston Villa fan Charlie Pye. The 6-year-old applied for the Villa job when Paul Lambert was sacked. The youngster wanted his mum and dad to be assistant managers. Sherwood admitted that he just pipped Pye to the post for the hotseat. CLICK HERE for all the latest Aston Villa news.
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Louis van Gaal wants Danny Ings to form a central part of his Manchester United rebuilding this summer. High-placed sources at Old Trafford have confirmed their interest in a player who is also being strongly pursued by fierce rivals Liverpool. The futures of Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao are uncertain and Van Gaal has put the 22-year-old Englishman on his list of targets. Danny Ings (right) is a top target for Manchester United and could be set for a summer move to Old Trafford. United have held talks with Burnley and through a loophole in Premier League regulations are able to agree a fee and pre-contract with the player to ensure a transfer in the summer. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers tried to sign the striker in January, but Burnley were intent on keeping him until the end of the campaign. Ings is out of contract in the summer but, due to his age, Burnley would be owed a fee set by a tribunal of around £5million if he joined an English club. However, under Premier League Rule U8 domestic clubs are able to agree terms with the club and player who would then move when their contract expires. Louis van Gaal is a fan of Ings and was impressed with the forwards performance against his side. Ings has become one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe. If United are successful they would beat former manager David Moyes, who is keen to bring the 22-year-old to Real Sociedad, to the signing. Tottenham and Manchester City are also interested. Ings has scored nine goals so far in his first season in the Premier League and United consider him to be a future England international. Van Gaal was particularly impressed by Ings’ performance against United at Old Trafford in February when he scored in Burnley’s 3-1 defeat. Van Persie, 31, has struggled with injuries this season and the loan of Falcao, 29, from Monaco has produced only four goals. United are also interested in signing PSV forward Memphis Depay, Southampton right back Nathaniel Clyne and Dortmund centre back Mats Hummels. Radamel Falcao (left) and Robin van Persie's United careers look over with both likely to move on. Van Gaal is a fan of PSV forward Memphis Depay, who was part of his Holland World Cup squad. Mats Hummels (second left) has long been target for United and may finally join in the summer. Southampton right back Nathaniel Clyne is another target for United as they look to rebuild their defence.
| Danny Ings is being targeted by Manchester United in the summer. Louis van Gaal has been impressed with the Burnley forward this season. Ings is likely to be one of a number of signings for the Red Devils. CLICK HERE for all the latest Manchester United news.
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Manchester City bounced back from their recent 4-2 derby defeat by easing to victory against West Ham. An own goal by James Collins and Sergio Aguero's 20th Barclays Premier League strike of the season was enough to give City the three points. Here, Sportsmail's Chris Wheeler rates the players' performances at the Etihad Stadium. MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1) JOE HART 6 - The England goalkeeper couldn’t have wished for a quieter 28th birthday, and was rarely called into action by a toothless West Ham. PABLO ZABALETA 6.5 – Treated for bloody nose early on but that was about the extent of the damage inflicted on City. Got forward well as usual. Manchester City right back Pablo Zabaleta keeps Enner Valencia at bay by putting in a crunching challenge. MARTIN DEMICHELIS 6 – Careless slip let in Carlton Cole in the first half but otherwise looked relatively comfortable alongside a new defensive partner in Mangala. ELIAQUIM MANGALA 7 - Dominant display from City’s £32million defender who was able to enjoy a trouble-free return to the line-up, and snuffed out the few threats offered by the Hammers. ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV 6.5 – Went close with slightly deflected freekick and another effort from a tight angle in the second half. Defensively, faced little threat from Valencia. FRANK LAMPARD 6 – Only his fifth Premier League start for City and of lack match sharpness showed on occasions as his touch let him down. Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard was given a rare chance to impress by starting against West Ham. FERNANDO 6.5 – Didn’t have too much on his plate but was alert to track Kouyate’s burst from midfield in the first half and produced a fantastic interception tackle. JESUS NAVAS 8 – Much better from the little Spaniard. More direct and looked for an earlier pass, which contributed to both of City’s first two goals. Jesus Navas played a major role in Manchester City's two goals at the Etihad Stadium. YAYA TOURE 7 – A more lively display than of late from the much-maligned Ivorian who passed the ball well and his interception started the move for City’s second goal. DAVID SILVA 6.5 – Subdued display despite going close with a couple of efforts, and stretchered off following lengthy treatment after taking an elbow to the head from Kouyate. SERGIO AGUERO 7.5 – The Argentine’s third goal in two games took his total to 26 for the season, and the top of the Premier League scoring charts with 20. Can’t argue with that. Sergio Aguero celebrates with City team-mates Navas and Yaya Toure after putting his side 2-0 up. Manchester City ace Sergio Aguero wheels away in celebration after scoring his 20th Premier League goal. Subs: Caballero, Sagna, Boyata, Fernandinho (for Lampard 88), Nasri (for Silva 75, 6), Dzeko (for Aguero 90+1), Pozo. Scorers: Collins og 18, Aguero 36. Booked: Navas, Silva. WEST HAM (4-1-4-1) ADRIAN 6 – Had little chance with either of City’s goals, particularly Collins’s own-goal which looped over his head and in off the underside of the bar. CARL JENKINSON 6 – One of West Ham’s better defenders and produced an excellent interception to deny Aguero an almost certain goal in the second half. JAMES COLLINS 5 – Won’t enjoy seeing a replay of his freakish own-goal. Almost redeemed himself with a great block on Silva – but not quite. West Ham centre back James Collins diverted the ball past Adrian to give Manchester City an early lead. WINSTON REID 5.5 – Did his best to hold City at bay but guilty of an awful dive in the dying stages that was thankfully ignored by the referee and ridiculed by the City fans. AARON CRESSWELL 5.5 – After his goalscoring exploits against Stoke last weekend, had a difficult afternoon up against Navas and struggled to cope at times. ALEX SONG 5 – Had his hands full trying to screen West ham’s defence against the blue tide in the first half and replaced by Jarvis as Big Sam tried to salvage something in the second. Alex Song, pictured with Lampard, was replaced by manager Sam Allardyce in the 66th minute. CHEIKHOU KOUYATE 6 – His arm into Silva’s face was the talking point of a dull game. It seemed to be more careless than malicious but City may think otherwise. MARK NOBLE 5 – Overrun in midfield and was able to offer his team very little. Struggled tpo get into the game at all. STEWART DOWNING 4.5 – Lost the ball in the build-up to City’s second goal and that summed up his performance. Below-par and lacked any impact at all. ENNER VALENCIA 6 – Anonymous in the first half but picked up a bit after the interval and had West Ham’s best effort with a fine individual run and shot. CARLTON COLE 4.5 – Was gifted the Hammers’ best opportunity in the first half but took too long to get a shot off. Struggled with little service and replaced by Nolan. Carlton Cole failed to impress on his first start since his side's 0-0 draw with Southampton in February. Subs: Nolan (for Cole 66, 6), Jarvis (for Song 66, 6), Nene, O’Brien, Amalfitano, Jaaskelainen, Burke. Booked: Kouyate, Downing. Referee: Anthony Taylor 6.5. Star man: Jesus Navas.
| Man City bounced back from derby defeat with 2-0 win over West Ham. Sergio Aguero scored his 20th league goal of the season during victory. Jesus Navas impressed on the right-hand side of City's midfield. Manuel Pellegrini's side have moved to within one point of rivals United.
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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told Lionel Messi that he would like the Argentine star to stay with the club until he retires. Messi, who has been with the Catalan giants since the age of 13, was linked with a move away from the Nou Camp earlier this year after a reported falling out with the board. Bartomeu, however, has reiterated the club's stance that Messi will always have a place at the Nou Camp. Lionel Messi has a place at Barcelona until 'he decides to retire', claim club president. He told RMC: 'We work with a leader like Messi, who is the best in the world, but also in history. 'He has a place here until he decides to quit football.' Messi, who scored his 400th goal for Barca in Saturday's 2-0 triumph over Valencia, is set to play alongside Luis Suarez and Neymar on Tuesday night as Luis Enrique's side face their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Suarez scored twice after a Neymar opener at the Parc des Princes last week before Gregory van der Wiel gave PSG a glimmer of hope to take into the Nou Camp. Messi talks with Jordi Alba (right) and Gerard Pique during Barcelona's training session on Monday. The Argentine forward looks to get beyond Marquinhos during Barca's 3-1 Champions League win over PSG.
| Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu praises 'leader' Lionel Messi. Bartomeu reveals Messi will always have a place at Barca. Messi scored his 400th career goal for Barca last weekend. CLICK HERE for all the latest Barcelona news.
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Werder Bremen edged past bottom club Hamburg SV 1-0 courtesy of an 84th-minute penalty by Franco Di Santo that kept them in the running for a Europa League spot. Argentine Di Santo converted his spot-kick for his 13th goal of the season after Hamburg's Valon Behrami had brought down Zlatko Junuzovic and was sent off as new Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia made a losing return to their bench. Franco Di Santo celebrates after scoring the winner for Werder Bremen in 1-0 defeat of Hamburg. The former Chelsea and Wigan forward celebrates after beating Rene Adler from the spot. Werder players celebrate in front of their fans after keeping their Europa League hopes alive. Werder moved up to seventh on 38 points with victory in the northern derby, leaving Hamburg in last place on 25 with five matches left in the season. Labbadia returned to Hamburg this week, tasked with saving their proud Bundesliga record. Hamburg are the only team never to have played in the second division since the creation of the Bundesliga in 1963. Former West Ham playmaker Valon Behrami leaves the pitch after being shown a red card. New coach Bruno Labbadia has been tasked with preventing Hamburg from going down for the first time ever. Second-placed VfL Wolfsburg, on 60 points, will look to cut Bayern Munich's lead back to 10 points when they take on Schalke 04 later on Sunday. The Bavarians are top after their 2-0 victory over Hoffenheim on Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen are third on 54 points following their 4-0 demolition of Hanover 96.
| Werder Bremen defeated Hamburg SV 1-0 in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Bruno Labbadia has returned as coach to save Hamburg from relegation. Wolfsburg meet Schalke 04 in the later game on Sunday.
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Jessica Ennis-Hill has begun communication with the IAAF in the aim of being rewarded with World Championship gold from 2011 after champion Tatyana Chernova was exposed as a drug cheat. In January Chernova was found to have provided a positive sample for a prohibited steroid at the 2009 World Championships. The Russian anti-doping agency issued a backdated ban and annulled her records from 15 August 2009 to 14 August 2011 – just 16 days before she beat Ennis by 129 points in the heptathlon in Daegu, South Korea. Tatyana Chernova (left) failed a drugs test two years before beating Jessica Ennis-Hill in South Korea in 2011. Ennis-Hill believes it is unfair that Chernova was banned but allowed to keep her world title. Ennis-Hil has written to the IAAF to ask shy Chernova has been allowed to keep her world title. Ennis-Hill, then the defending world champion, had to settle for silver. The following year the Brit took gold in memorable scenes at London 2012, with Chernova third. Chernova's ban is due to expire on June 21 – in time for this year’s World Championships in Beijing in August and, of course, the 2016 Olympics in Rio. ‘Obviously I'm not happy about how the ban has been handled,’ said Ennis-Hill. ‘I can’t really understand it myself. I've spoken to British Athletics and the IAAF and I am putting my faith to look into it a bit more. ‘I can't understand how that is fair. It's so frustrating – although frustration isn't a strong enough word, because you train hard for all those years and then people do things like that. It doesn't seem like she has served a ban. ‘I think we need to be strict and if you are cheating, you're out. I don't think you should be allowed to come back and keep your medals. It doesn't seem fair.’ Research carried out by the University of Oslo in October 2013 established that muscles can retain the advantages given by anabolic steroids for years, even decades after the moment at which they were taken. Ennis-Hill suggested she may have suspected Chernova but could not have allowed herself to think about anything other than her competition. ‘You might think things but you can't really say anything, you just get on with what you are doing and you can't cast aspersions until something comes out, really,’ she said. ‘That was a really funny competition for me because it was the year before the Olympics and I felt really ready. ‘I just thought I could win the gold medal, and I came away with a silver. So I was disappointed. I was thinking, “Is this how it will go into the Olympics?” ‘It gave me that extra push in a way, having that silver. But at the same time I could have been double world champion. It’s a weird one. But I definitely want that medal. We’ve had communications with the IAAF just to see how that ban works.’ Ennis-Hill praised the work done to uncover transgressions, such as the German documentary about institutionalised doping in Russia. But admitted it left a ‘dampener’ on the sport. Earlier this year Russia's athletics head coach Valentin Maslakov resigned after a number of athletes from the country were found guilty of committing doping offences. Chernova celebrates the gold medal she took ahead of Ennis-Hill a year before the London Olympic games. Ennis Hill (right) says the silver made her more determined to take gold at the Olympics, which she did. Ennis-Hill also criticised Nike's choice to sponsor two-time drugs cheat Justin Gatlin. ‘Hopefully things are being done about it and it won’t keep progressing on to years down the line,’ she added. Ennis-Hill also criticised Nike’s decision to award two-time drugs cheat Justin Gatlin a new sponsorship deal. ‘Again, frustrating more than anything,’ she said. ‘You see people cheating and they are rewarded for it down the line. I just don’t think it’s fair. At the same time you don’t want to get too wrapped up in it because I can’t control what sponsors do with athletes. But it’s hard to read stories like that.’ Jessica Ennis trains in the adidas Climachill apparel range designed with advanced fabric for maximum cooling, and the adidas Ultra Boost trainers. Both available at www.adidas.co.uk.
| Jessica Ennis-Hill second to Tatyana Chernova in 2011 Championships. Chernova has since been found to have failed a test in 2009. She has been banned but her 2011 World Championship title still remains.
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A surge in support for the SNP has left Labour facing electoral wipe-out north of the border next month. With the nationalists on course to win up to 50 seats in May, Labour finally had something to celebrate today – but only in a charity penalty shoot out. Labour's football-mad Scottish leader Jim Murphy scored the winning goal in the friendly match against the Tories in Edinburgh. Labour's football-mad Scottish leader Jim Murphy scored the winning goal in the friendly match against the Tories in Edinburgh today. Today's match was organised to help Motor Neurone Disease campaigner Gordon Aikman in his fight against the terminal condition. The match was organised to help Motor Neurone Disease campaigner Gordon Aikman in his fight against the terminal condition. MND patient, campaigner and founder of GordonsFightback.com Gordon Aikman refereed the Show Motor Neurone Disease the Red Card' event at Spartan's Community Football Academy. Mr Aikman was diagnosed with the terminal condition less than a year ago and has raised over £250,000 for research into a cure through his campaign 'Gordon's Fightback'. MND patient, campaigner and founder of GordonsFightback.com Gordon Aikman refereed the Show Motor Neurone Disease the Red Card' event at Spartan's Community Football Academy. Before the game, David Cameron insisted – like in the upcoming election – the Tories could pull off an against-the-odds victory. But Labour narrowly won 3-2, with Mr Murphy scoring the winning goal. People can donate to the campaign through GordonsFightback.com or texting 'MNDS85 £5' to 70070. Before the game, David Cameron insisted – like in the upcoming election – the Tories could pull off an against-the-odds victory. He said: 'I'm confident the Conservatives can pull off a win not only on the football pitch today but on polling day too. Whichever team wins today all of us agree that we need to show MND the red card. 'Gordon Aikman is an inspiration. The impact of his incredible campaign will have a positive impact for generations to come.' But Labour leader Ed Miliband said the shoot-out was 'not the first time that the Conservatives have been put on the spot'. He added: 'Just like all the other times, I'm confident Labour will win.' Despite the light-hearted digs, the shoot out's organiser Mr Aikman welcomed the brief lull in hostilities between the two parties. Mr Murphy lunges in to tackle his Tory opponent in today's charity game to raise money in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. Tory MSP Gavin Brown (left) motor neurone sufferer Gordon Aikman (centre) and the Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy (right) ahead of today's game. He said: 'To see politicians put aside their differences to help people with MND means a lot. 'Whatever the score and whoever ends up in Number 10 we need to guarantee that creating a world free from MND is a top priority. 'It'll be too late for me, but we can and we must find a cure for future generations. Please donate what you can at GordonsFightback.com or by texting MNDS85 £5 to 70070.' Chief Executive of Motor Neurone Disease Scotland, Craig Stockton, added: 'This event demonstrates that no matter who you want to see as Prime Minister after 7th May, the fight to find a cure for MND cuts across the political divide.
| Jim Murphy scored winning penalty in charity shootout in Edinburgh. Game put on for terminal Motor Neurone Disease sufferer Gordon Aikman. Mr Aikman was diagnosed with the terminal condition less than a year ago. He has raised over £250,000 for research into a cure through his campaign.
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Manchester United have fought all season to try to secure a return to the Champions League, but six players shown the exit door at Old Trafford are in the competition's final four. Last season's disastrous campaign under David Moyes saw United miss out on Europe's premier competition for the first time in 19 years, with Patrice Evra and Javier Hernandez members of the failing squad. But those two - plus Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba and Gerard Pique - have all made the semi-finals in their former club's absence from the competition. Javier Hernandez scored the winner for Real Madrid against Atletico. He is on loan from Manchester United. Patrice Evra was part of David Moyes' failing side last season but he now plays for Italian side Juventus. Hernandez and Ronaldo combined for Real Madrid's winner against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, with the former only on loan and deemed surplus to requirements by Louis van Gaal who has instead relied on misfiring Radamel Falcao. Meanwhile, Tevez was leading the line for Juventus, with Evra at left back, in their 0-0 draw against Monaco that won a place in the last four. Pogba is out with a thigh injury but could return in the time for the semi-finals next month. Finally, Pique is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career at centre back for Barcelona and helped keep out Paris Saint-Germain's fearsome attack that featured Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani on Tuesday night. Cristiano Ronaldo has gone from strength to strength since leaving United and is in the last four once again. Carlos Tevez went to Manchester City between his stints with United and Juventus, who beat Monaco. Whatever happens in the semi-finals, there will be at least one former Old Trafford representative at the Champions League final in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on May 6. United are on course for a return to Europe's top table next season, with their position inside the Barclays Premier League's top four looking fairly safe ahead of Liverpool who sit eight points behind. But for now, the Champions League semi-finals are the home of their former players, rather than their current ones. Gerard Pique spent time at United between two spells with Barcelona, and he is in the semi-finals with them. Paul Pogba was released by the Old Trafford club after spending his youth there and plays for Juve now.
| Manchester United have six ex-players in Champions League semi-finals. Javier Hernandez scored the winner for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid. Paul Pogba, Carlos Tevez and Patrice Evra play for Italian side Juventus. Cristiano Ronaldo set up Hernandez's goal for Real Madrid on Wednesday. Barcelona's Gerard Pique helped keep out Paris Saint-Germain. Hernandez was the hero for Madrid but he will need to find a new home.
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Mila Kunis is to counter-sue the woman who is suing her for stealing her chicken. The actress and her fiance Ashton Kutcher responded to the impending lawsuit with a tongue-in-cheek video, claiming they were going to file a lawsuit against the accuser Kristina Karo, because of injuries suffered while being forced to watch her music video. On Wednesday the story broke that the 31-year-old was being sued for $5,000 by a woman claiming to be her former childhood friend, who said she suffered emotional trauma when a seven-year-old Kunis stole her pet foul. Fight fire with fire: Mila Kunis has responded to Kristina Karo's accusations she stole her chicken as a child, with a video claiming she will counter-sue for injuries sustained while watching Karo's music video. But within hours Kutcher had posted a video - obtained by TMZ - pointing out some of the holes in Karo's story. 'Let's just get this clear: you stole a chicken from a one-month-old child who spoke to you in an entire conversation,' the 37-year-old declares in the self-shot vid. 'It's just shocking to me. Not only did she have a conversation at one-month old in Ukraine, she was speaking English! This is the smartest girl I've ever heard of!' Kunis herself appears on the clip pointing out that it must be 'just coincidental' he accuser has a new music video out, and is trying to launch a singing career here in LA. Foul play: The reason for Karo's lawsuit 25 years after the 'theft' is that moving to LA, which is where Kunis also lives, has brought back memories of losing 'Doggie' for Karo and forced her back into therapy. 'I was devastated. I was weeping. I was dumbfounded. I was like "which chicken did I steal?" because I was obviosly in the village when I stole these chickens. So I apologise to this woman who was maybe or maybe not a month old,' she said. The Jupiter Ascending star admits that she has yet to be physically served the documents, and then reveals she is preparing her own counter-suit. 'But emotionally I feel served. I would like to launch a counter $5,000 lawsuit for making me sit there and watch you music video, shamelessly. My body hurts. My eyes hurt, they're burning. That requires money.' 'No Green Card for you,' Kutcher admonishes into the camera, in response to her song title plea Give Me Green Card, which currently has almost 170k views on YouTube. The couple then turn semi-serious to address the charges. 'I feel like I will be a chicken fighter for a very long time. I will be an advocate. I would never steal someone else's chicken. I wouldn't, I wouldn't,' Kunis insists. 'Listen folks, I believe this woman, I know her pretty well, I believe that shes an ethical person that wouldn't steal a chicken,' Kutcher adds. 'So you have it right from the horse's... the chicken's mouth.' Not a bad egg: Mila Kunis, seen here with partner Ashton Kutcher in Los Angeles, had being accused of chicken theft despite growing up more than 100miles from Karo. Kutcher pointed out in their response video that their accuser was also one-month old at the time and apparently fluent in English and Ukranian. Pollo loco: In her suit, Karo alleges that when 'Doggie' disappeared, Kunis confessed to the crime and told her 'Kristina, you can have any other chicken as a pet, you have a whole chicken farm' (stock image) Karo had alleged that she was a classmate of Kunis, who moved to the U.S. from Ukraine in 1991, and that the pair were 'inseparable' growing up. The wannabe singer, now living in Los Angeles, claimed a seven-year-old Kunis had been 'envious' of her pet hen, and that 25 years ago, she stole it from her. In her lawsuit, Karo states that Ms Kunis would come over to the chicken farm in north-west Ukraine where she lived, and play with the hen, called 'Doggie', TMZ reported. She alleges that when 'Doggie' disappeared, Ms Kunis confessed to the crime and told her 'Kristina, you can have any other chicken as a pet, you have a whole chicken farm', the website states. Karo, who has moved to Los Angeles in the hopes of launching a career as a singer, says the theft of her pet chicken traumatised her and forced her to see a therapist. She claims that being in close proximity to Ms Kunis, who lives in Hollywood with partner Ashton Kutcher and daughter Wyatt, has 'brought back all the bad memories' and she now needs therapy again. She also claims the theft of 'Doggie' 25 years ago has 'prevented her from pursuing the American dream', according to TMZ. Interestingly enough, Karo's self-penned online bio describes her as being 'born and raised in the small village Berezhnytsia', which is a three hour drive - and more than 100miles away -from Chernivtsi, where Mila Kunis lived before moving to the U.S. aged seven. Wannabe: Kunis deduces it must be 'just coincidence' Karo is trying to launch a music career just as she threatens with the lawsuit.
| Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher respond to impending lawsuit in video. Kutcher claims Kristina Karo was one month old when the alleged incident occurred. Kunis says she will counter-sue because of injuries sustained while watching Karo's music video. Karo claimed to be Kunis's 'childhood friend from Ukraine' and is suing her for $5,000. Claims Kunis 'stole her pet chicken' when they were children. Karo, now in LA, claims she has been traumatised by the event and is suing actress for emotional distress and therapy bills.
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Whoever snatched a seal or sea lion pup from a Los Angeles beach early Sunday should not confuse the animal's cuteness with its potentially vicious bite, according to an animal rescue expert. Witnesses to the abduction said four people wrapped the pup in a blanket and left in a car around 3:20 a.m. from Dockweiler State Beach, just west of the city's international airport, said Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Herrera. The initial police report said the animal was a small seal. Marine Animal Rescue managed to save another young sea lion shortly after the animal escaped several people said to be harassing it. Witnesses to the abduction said four people wrapped the pup (not pictured) in a blanket and left in a car around from Dockweiler State Beach. But a companion pup that escaped and was later found on the beach is a sea lion, according to Peter Wallerstein, the president of the group Marine Animal Rescue. The rescued pup weighs about 25 pounds and is probably 10 months old, said Wallerstein, who stays in a trailer at the beach and was woken by security guards seeking his help. Sea lions of this size are 'really small, really look cute, but they're dangerous,' he said. 'These are wild animals.' They're also not fit to be kept as pets. Though small pups are cute they can be very dangerous, officials warned. 'The animal needs fluids, needs special treatments,' he said. 'You can't just feed it dog food. It's not going to work.' Los Angeles police said an investigation was being conducted by the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A spokesman for the agency did not return phone messages or an email Sunday.
| Authorities say that while sea lion pups can be cute they also have a vicious bite. Witnesses say four people wrapped the sea lion pup in a blanket on Dockweiler State Beach then fled the scene. Mammal is in danger as it needs fluid and specific foods to survive.
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Andrea Dossena, the defender Liverpool once paid £7million for, will face no further action after he was accused of shoplifting in Harrods. The 33-year-old, now with League One strugglers Leyton Orient, hit headlines around the world when he was arrested at the Knightsbridge store on April 7. However, Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the Italian and a 31-year-old woman also held at the scene, were released after being interviewed. Andrea Dossena (scoring against Real Madrid) will face no further action after being accused of shoplifting. Dossena, whose crowning moment for Liverpool came when he scored the winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League, last turned out for the relegation-fighting Os on April 14 in a 1-0 home loss to Doncaster Rovers. He also netted four days after that strike against Real back in March 2009, lobbing Edwin van der Sar away at Manchester United in a 4-1 win. Dossena, whose signing was seen as something of a coup for Orient, earned around £40,000-a-week at Anfield. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'A 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman who were arrested on suspicion of shoplifting were advised on April 10 that they would face no further action.' Dossena signed a short-term contract with League One strugglers Leyton Orient back in November. Sportsmail understands officers accepted Dossena's claims that he had simply forgotten to pay for a couple of items. Dossena has been capped by Italy on 10 occasions and joined the Os from Sunderland for whom he played under Paolo Di Canio and Gus Poyet. He was heralded by Rafa Benitez on arriving on Merseyside from Udinese back in 2008, but made only 13 Premier League starts for the club. Dossena was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting at Harrods in Knightsbridge on April 7.
| Andrea Dossena was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting on April 7. Metropolitan Police confirm Dossena and 31-year-old woman also held at the scene were released after being interviewed. They were advised on April 10 that they would face no further action. Dossena was accused of shoplifting in Harrods store in Knightsbridge. Sportsmail understands officers accepted Dossena's claims that he had simply forgotten to pay for a couple of items.
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Father-of-two: Paul Doyle, 56, has been jailed after being unmasked as the head of drugs ring. A gangster who lived a life of luxury in a mansion near Premier League footballers has been jailed for 16 years after being unmasked as the head of a drugs ring. Father-of-two Paul Doyle, 56, moved his family into an £820,000 home in Altrincham, Cheshire, despite having never worked and living life ‘on tick’ and incapacity handouts. Doyle - described as a ‘well-known and colourful character’ in his native Salford - put down a £200,000 deposit and obtained a £600,000 mortgage by falsely claiming his wife Jeanette, 49, worked as a company executive. But his family were probed after scandalising the leafy neighbourhood in Altrincham where his teenage son regularly rode quad bikes around the streets and later received an Asbo for terrorising other local children who complained of being robbed and beaten up. Police kept watch on the family’s home where Doyle chopped down the huge front hedge so he could check for unwanted visitors outside. He was eventually arrested during a raid on his five-bedroom house after a major investigation into the supply of various drugs in the North of England, which culminated in the seizure of £15million of cocaine and a haul of heroin. The family have since lost the property and Mrs Doyle is now living in a council house in Salford. Doyle admitted supplying class A and B drugs, between 2012 and 2014, plus money laundering and benefit fraud offences at Manchester Crown Court. He now faces a proceeds of crime hearing. Going in: Police are seen raiding Doyle's £820,000 five-bedroom home in Altrincham, Cheshire, in July 2014. Luxurious life: Doyle put down a £200,000 deposit and obtained a £600,000 mortgage on the property (above) by falsely claiming his wife Jeanette, 49, worked as a company executive. The court heard Doyle had bought the house as his ‘dream family home’ in 2004 after being freed from a seven-year jail term for cocaine and cannabis dealing plus assault. He was claiming tax credits and other handouts, saying two heart attacks made him unable to work. But he fraudulently claimed Mrs Doyle earned £197,000 a year as a ‘project executive’ for a lettings firm and she was given a mortgage of £616,000. Monthly mortgage repayments were about £3,000 but the accounts were consistently in arrears. And in June 2006 Doyle took out loans totalling £83,000 with finance companies by making similar false representations about Mrs Doyle’s income - and even acquired a new BMW vehicle. Despite the late mortgage payments Doyle paid £450,000 into his and his wife’s bank accounts over a six-year period between 2006 and 2012. On average monthly deposits of £5,778 were made totalling around £77,000 per year. Police began secretly filming Doyle and started to track his car. It emerged he helped finance a cocaine deal in which drugs were brought into the country by couriers who travelled to the UK from France on fishing boats. Entering: The family have since lost the property and Mrs Doyle is now living in a council house in Salford. Going in: Doyle's family were probed after scandalising the leafy neighbourhood where his teenage son regularly rode quad bikes around the streets and later received an Asbo for terrorising other local children. Up to 4.2lbs (1.9kg) of heroin and 170lbs (77kg) of cocaine landed in the UK - but police began arresting Doyle’s accomplices, and he got directly involved in deals himself. He organised a collection of 2.2lbs (1kg) of heroin in Wigan, and then started running a wholesale supply line in cannabis, involving up to 88lbs (40kg), and amphethamines, amounting to around 44lbs (20kg), to crime families in Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle in Cumbria. He was eventually caught in May last year with 6.6lbs (3kg) of amphetamines in Salford. Whilst in jail on remand police decoded conversations in which Doyle chatted about drugs - one in which he talked about how a friend ‘wanted his hoover back’ - linking him to a Cumbrian heroin dealer who hid just an ounce of the drug inside his Henry vacuum cleaner. Suspicion: Despite the late mortgage payments Doyle paid £450,000 into his and his wife’s bank accounts over a six-year period between 2006 and 2012. Home: Doyle was claiming tax credits and other handouts, saying two heart attacks made him unable to work. Other recorded conversations heard Doyle use the codeword ‘downstairs’ for heroin, which police were able to work out because of the timing and context of the conversations. Altrincham, a market town near Manchester Airport, is the location of four of the ten most expensive streets in the North West. The top-priced road has an average property value of £2.5million. Manchester City stars James Milner and Joe Hart live in the Altrincham area, in homes worth £3.3million and £2.9million respectively, and Ireland assistant boss Roy Keane is said to have a house there. The local residents also include ex-England international Emily Heskey, who now plays for Bolton Wanderers in the Championship and lives in a £3million six-bedroom house with his wife Chantelle. The Hale area of Altrincham was reported to be home to at least 33 Premier League footballers as of 2010 - including Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United players. Ian McMeekin, defending, said the case was the ‘decline and fall of a drug dealer’. He said Doyle once had a building supply business and when buildings were demolished he would broker on the stolen brick. He added: ‘He is a well known local, born and raised in Salford. He is well known as a colourful character.’ He added that he also undertook protection work in West Africa and China where he was working legitimately but while not paying income tax. He said he was also provided with income from dog breeding. Mr McMeekin said: ‘He didn’t involve his wife through pressure or influence. He operated alone and in ignorance. His wife’s salary was ridiculously high, ought to make anyone question the legitimacy of the application. ‘The defendant has nothing left apart from his family - the house has gone. His ruin is complete and he must accept the whole responsibility for it.’ Sentencing, Judge Richard Mansell QC told Doyle he had ‘barefaced gall’ to claim benefits and added: ‘I’m quite satisfied that you played a lead role in all of your offences. ‘You had close links to the original sources of the drugs and you directed and organised the sale of drugs on a commercial scale. You plainly did make a lot of money from these enterprises - where it has gone is another matter.’ He described Doyle as ‘the head of an organised criminal gang’, who continued to orchestrate the business from behind bars because he had ‘loyal servants working on the outside’.
| Father-of-two Paul Doyle moved family into £820,000 home in Altrincham. He bought it after seven-year jail term for cocaine and cannabis dealing. Admitted supplying drugs, money laundering and benefit fraud offences. Teenage son rode quad bikes and got Asbo for terrorising local children.
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A small mistake from Lewis Hamilton allowed Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg to gain the upper hand in second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix. To some extent the duo took it easy in FP1 as the team focused on a particular plan given the session was hardly representative of what all the drivers will face in qualifying and the race. Come the start, and with the track exceptionally dusty given its desert setting and which will naturally improve over the weekend with use, the circuit and air temperatures were a searing 52 and 36 degrees centigrade respectively. Nico Rosberg (pictured) got the better of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain second practice. Rosberg was slower in sectors one and two of FP2 but a mistake from Hamilton gifted him first place. Hamilton (left) takes a corner in Sakhir, Bahrain ahead of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel. Come the start of FP2 at 6pm local time,when qualifying and the race commence under the hundreds of lights around the circuit, both temperatures had dropped considerably and that is when Rosberg and Hamilton came to the fore. In FP1 pace was not their concern as the duo finished 15th and 16th, 1.466secs and 1.705secs adrift respectively of Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari. In FP2, and with the natural order restored as they finished first and second at the top of the timesheet, just 0.115secs was the gap at the end of their runs on the soft Pirelli tyre, the quicker of the two compounds this weekend. That was due to a lock-up from Hamilton in the second sector of the Bahrain International Circuit which cost him four tenths of a second, otherwise he would likely have beaten Rosberg by three tenths given he was faster in sectors one and two. It allowed Rosberg to lead the way with a lap of one minute 34.647secs, with Mercedes' nearest rivals again Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, but half a second back. Vettel had his issues throughout the day, though, initially in FP1 as his car suffered a loss of power at one point, but with enough time in hand to ensure he returned to the circuit. Hamilton suffered a lock-up in the second sector of the Bahrain International Circuit, leaving him in second. Sparks fly from the rear end of Hamilton's Mercedes during a practice session in Bahrain. In FP2, with nine minutes remaining, Force India's Sergio Perez clipped Vettel's car, ripping off the front-wing endplate on the left side. With debris on the track the session was red flagged, and with the stewards also announcing an investigation into the incident for causing a collision. Come the restart, Raikkonen and Hamilton took a wide berth in exiting the pit lane around a couple of cars that were slow away, far from impressing the stewards who are to also look at the duo's unnecessary manoeuvres. Behind the leading quartet came Williams' Valtteri Bottas followed by Daniel Ricciardo in his Red Bull and Lotus of Pastor Maldonado, all within a second of Rosberg. Sauber's Felipe Nasr, Daniil Kvyat in his Red Bull and the Williams of Felipe Massa completed the top 10, with the latter 1.237secs off the pace. Sebastian Vettel had issues throughout the day, eventually finishing the second practice in fourth place. Vettel finished fourth, behind Rosberg, Hamilton and third-placed Kimi Raikkonen in Bahrain. McLaren's Fernando Alonso was 1.5secs back in 12th, whilst for team-mate Jenson Button it was a day to forget. In FP1 an electrical fault which cut the engine in the middle of turn one ended Button's session after just three minutes, with the team unable to carry out a repair. In FP2 the veteran was on his third lap when his car ground to a halt, although on this occasion his mechanics were able to send him back out. Button eventually completed 15 laps, finishing down in 19th place between Manor duo Will Stevens, who finished 4.484secs back, and team-mate Roberto Merhi.
| Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were 15th and 16th in FP1. They came to the fore in FP1, finishing first and second respectively. Hamilton was faster than Rosberg in sectors one and two, but a lock-up in sector three cost him four tenths of a second. Sebastian Vettel had problems throughout the day, and his car was clipped by Sergio Perez in FP2, ripping off his front-wing endplate on the left side.
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Steven Finn believes he has rediscovered the form that made him one of the most exciting fast-bowling prospects in England. Finn was overlooked for the West Indies tour, but has spent time since the World Cup working on his run-up – and watching videos of his best spells as a reminder of why he became the youngest English bowler to take 50 Test wickets. ‘I’ve had my trials and tribulations over the last 12 months,’ he said. ‘But I feel everything at the crease is as I want it to be. Steven Finn believes he's regained his previous best form and is ready to push for an England place. Finn admits he's 'had my trials and tribulations over the last 12 months' but he's got his 'head straight' Finn smiles as he helps launch ECB's Club Open Days on Tuesday at Brondesbury Cricket Club. ‘My running style is something I’ve had my issues with – kneeing the stumps and shortening my run-up, which is what c**ked me up, really. It’s about trying to get it back to being natural. ‘We’ve got footage that I use when I’ve been bowling at my best. When I was running up as a carefree 21-year-old, I just legged it into the crease. 'It was natural, and I bowled quickly, consistently. My bowling’s looking pretty similar to that at the moment.’ Finn’s claims will be music to the selectors’ ears as they begin to fret about England’s fast-bowling stocks. Finn says he's been watching footage of when he was on the top of his form and is returning to that style. Finn’s form return comes at a good time as England's fast bowling stocks are starting to worry selectors. The 26-year-old Finn has played only one Championship game for Middlesex this season, but insisted he felt ready to add to his 23 Test caps, the last of which he won back in 2013. ‘I don’t feel I’d have done myself a disservice had I been on the West Indies trip,’ he said. ‘In the World Cup, if you take out the wickets against Australia, I was taking proper wickets – lbw, bowled, caught behind. ‘Coming back to Middlesex and getting my head straight hasn’t been the worst thing. I’m gutted I’m not in the West Indies, but this is the next best thing.’ This summer more than 1000 cricket clubs will take part in Club Open Days, supported by Waitrose – register your club at ecb.co.uk/clubopendays.
| Steven Finn was left out of the England squad for the West Indies tour. The Middlesex quick bowler has regained form after a tough 12 months. Finn said he's back to bowling like he was as 'a carefree 21-year-old' His last of 23 Test caps came for England back in 2013.
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Mark Hughes thinks Tom Jones is stopping Stoke City from qualifying for Europe. But on the green, green grass of home, his side were the ones denting hopes of facing the Continent’s elite teams with this 2-1 victory over Ronald Koeman’s Southampton. The Stoke manager believes Jones’s hit Delilah, belted out regularly by the Britannia Stadium hordes, is causing his side to be marked down in UEFA’s Fair Play League because of its violent theme and thus affecting their chances of qualifying for the Europa League. Charlie Adam scored a late winner as Stoke City came from behind to earn all three points at home to Ronald Koeman's Southampton. Scottish international midfielder Adam strikes for goal as Southampton attacker Sadio Mane looks on at the Britannia Stadium. The Scottish midfielder wheels away in celebration as he helps Stoke City beat Southampton at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Adam is joined by Stoke City team-mate Marko Arnautovic who congratulates the Scottish international on his goal against Southampton. Adam wheels away in celebration and is followed by Stoke City striker Peter Crouch at a sun-filled Britannia Stadium. Stoke (4-2-3-1): Begovic 7; Cameron 7, Shawcross 6.5, Wollscheid 7, Pieters 7; Nzonzi 6.5, Whelan 6.5 (Sidwell 76, 6); Walters 6, Ireland 5 (Adam 45, 8), Arnautovic 7; Diouf 7 (Crouch 76, 6) Subs: Butland, Bardsley, Wilson, Teixeira,. Hughes: 7. Southampton (4-2-3-1): Davis 6; Clyne 6.5, Fonte 6.5, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 6 (Long 86); Alderweireld 7, Schneiderlin 7; Mane 7, Davis 6 (Elia 86), Tadic 5 (Ward-Prowse 67), Pelle 6. Subs: Gazzaniga, Gardos, Reed, Targett. Koeman: 6. Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Star Man: Charlie Adam. Charlie Adam's goal secured an impressive come back. Click HERE for more Match Zone. However, after Morgan Schneiderlin prodded Southampton into a deserved lead, a second-half turnaround with goals from Mame Diouf and Charlie Adam damaged the visitors hopes of finishing in the top four — and had the Stoke fans belting out their favourite 60s hit. Hughes said: ‘We are not going to get too many Fair Play points today. ‘The key was that we got three Premier League points, though.’ The result had Koeman acknowledging that the Saints’ unlikely march to the top four was over. ‘Sometimes I have to answer questions about Champions League football,’ he said. ‘I don’t like that because the distance to fourth place is five points and now maybe it is eight. We are fighting for a Europa League place — that’s our Champions League. You have to see it like that.’ Mame Biram Diouf is joined by teammate Jon Walters as the Stoke City duo celebrate their equaliser at the Britannia Stadium. Steven Nzonzi is quick to congratulate Diouf on his goal against Champions League chasing Southampton at the Britannia Stadium. French international Morgan Schneiderlin gives Ronald Koeman's Champions League chasing Southampton the lead at the Britannia Stadium. Hughes is entitled to be happy, with his side in ninth spot with five matches to play. Survival in the Premier League, always the priority in these parts, was secured as early as March, leaving the manager, with the ink drying on a four-year contract, to set new targets. He wants Stoke to better last year’s points tally of 50 and secure consecutive top-half finishes in the top flight for the first time in 40 years, and this result leaves such feats on the cards. Victory was unlikely in a one-sided first half. Southampton, who had wasted chances, eventually took one when Jose Fonte rose at the near post to divert Steven Davis’s corner goalwards but was denied by a goal-hanging Schneiderlin, who got the final touch before it crossed the line. Graziano Pelle should have doubled the lead when played in by a lively Sadio Mane but Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic saved well to leave Koeman ruing his side’s profligacy. ‘I think we played very well in the first 45 minutes and were by far better team,’ he said. ‘Maybe we could have been more clinical in the box but in general we played well today, we played at least at our level and it’s important to keep that for rest of the season.’ For all Southampton’s dominance Stoke should have been level when Geoff Cameron flicked on a Marko Arnautovic free-kick only for an unmarked Steven Nzonzi to inexplicably miss from no more than two yards out. Jose Fonte celebrates with team-mate Schneiderlin as Southampton grabbed the lead against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. Schneiderlin celebrates the first goal with his team-mates during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Southampton. They did go level following the arrival of Adam from the bench, albeit in exceptionally fortunate circumstances. When Nzonzi mis-hit a cross into the sky there were groans. When it landed on the bar and Diouf slammed home the rebound they turned into disbelieving cheers. The first Delilah of the day duly followed, with Adam urged to shoot wherever he picked up the ball. With six minutes remaining he did just that, lashing home following a goalmouth scramble to bring that song out again. ‘I think he played the initial ball into the box, followed his ball in and thankfully it has dropped to him,’ said an admiring Hughes. ‘It’s great technique. He knows exactly what he is doing. He has hit it into the ground and that has made it even harder for the keeper to save it.’ Adam’s fellow substitute Peter Crouch could have piled on the agony for Koeman after being teed up by Jonathan Walters but scuffed his shot wide from six yards. More misery for the Saints arrived in injury time when Toby Alderweireld went down clutching a shoulder and was carried off on a stretcher, although he is expected to be fit for the remainder of the run-in. Regardless, Koeman was certainly laughing no more. Southampton striker Graziano Pelle had his chances but he failed to take them as Southampton lost to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. Ryan Bertrand and Geoff Cameron go head-to-head for the ball in the sunshine at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Diouf competes with Fonte during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Southampton at the Britannia Stadium. French duo Nzonzi and Schneiderlin battle for the ball during the Premier League clash between Stoke City and Southampton. Ronald Koeman applauds the adoring Southampton fans as their dreams of Champions League qualification all but ended.
| Scottish international midfielder Charlie Adam scored late to secure Stoke City comeback the Britannia. French ace Morgan Schneiderlin had given Southampton a first-half lead with just 22 minutes of the game gone. But a dogged Stoke City replied when Mame Biram Diouf equalised for the hosts before Adam claimed the win. Saints now sit sixth in the Premier League with Stoke City back in ninth position ahead of West Ham United.
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Shay Given will keep his place in Aston Villa's side for the FA Cup final at Wembley against Arsenal - and is putting Brad Guzan under pressure for the No 1 jersey in the Premier League. Guzan was said to be hurting after missing out on the semi-final victory over Liverpool, but understood Tim Sherwood's decision to keep faith in the competition with the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper. Given's performances in the FA Cup have given Sherwood plenty to consider as the Villa manager looks to pick up the points required to stay in the top-flight, beginning with a trip to Manchester City on Saturday evening. Shay Given celebrates Aston Villa's 2-1 victory against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzen lost out to Given for the Liverpool clash and is set to lose out again for the final. 'Shay comes in every day and trains hard,' said goalkeeping coach Tony Parks. 'He's fully behind Guz when he plays in the league team and he puts pressure on him. If Guz isn't playing well then Shay will be back in the team. 'The reverse comes in the cup. Brad hurts, Brad wants to play at Wembley in the semi-final but like he said to me, it's all about the bigger picture. 'He understands that Shay has earned the right to play in these games and that Shay has earned the right to stay in the team for the Cup final. I don't see that really being a question.' Given's recent performances have given Villa boss Tim Sherwood plenty to ponder overt the coming weeks.
| Aston will face Arsenal in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30. Shay Given started for Villa in their 2-1 semi-final victory against Liverpool. Villa travel to the Etihad to play Manchester City on Saturday.
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Groups of football fans are responsible for thuggish behaviour on trains on a weekly basis, a senior police officer has said. The warning by British Transport Police (BTP) Chief Constable Paul Crowther came ahead of a summit organised to determine the scale of the problem, which has come under scrutiny in recent months following a number of high-profile incidents. The latest figures for this football season show that BTP has recorded 630 football-related incidents so far, including a number with a racial element. Five Chelsea fans were caught on film directing racist abuse towards a black passenger in France. Fans appeared to be chanting on the Paris Metro train: 'We're racist, we're racist and that's the way we like it' Mr Crowther said: 'Sadly this type of casual thuggery is occurring just about on a weekly basis on our trains, with a sizeable minority who are behaving in a threatening, loud and sometimes racist way to the great terror of people who are using the system to get about and do their day-to-day business.' He said the impact on ordinary passengers is 'unacceptable', adding: 'We are in danger of saying those types of experiences are OK. 'Is that the sort of society we really want? I don't think it is. We haven't solved this type of behaviour and we need to work together to change it. 'We are saying 'Why do people think this is acceptable on trains?' You don't see this sort of behaviour on an aeroplane, for example.' Police believe the scale of football-related crime on the transport network may be higher than the figures show. Mr Crowther said: 'We think it is under-reported and we think that might be because people are intimidated or frightened.' Supporters have come under scrutiny (none of the fans pictured are necessarily referred to in the story) He said the problem was a 'very complex issue' and required a cultural change. 'What I am not looking for is more of the same,' he said. 'I don't think it is an issue we can arrest our way out of.' Representatives from football, police and other organisations, as well as those affected by football thuggery, are attending the summit, which is the first of its kind. In February a storm erupted after Chelsea supporters were filmed allegedly singing racist chants as a black man was prevented from boarding a train in Paris.
| British Transport Police are clamping down on 'casual thuggery' on trains. This season alone, there has been 630 football-related incidents recorded. Chief Constable Paul Crowther said crimes may be 'under-reported' A summit has been organised to determine the scale of the problem.
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PSV Eindhoven beat Heerenveen 4-1 to win the Dutch championship on Saturday for the first time in seven seasons. PSV's victory put them on 79 points and beyond the reach of second-placed Ajax Amsterdam, who have lost their title after four successive years as champions. Striker Luuk de Jong scored two headed goals in the opening period, the first inside three minutes as hosts PSV eased the nerves around the Philips Stadion with a fast start. PSV Eindhoven won there first Eredivisie title in seven years after beating Heerenveen 4-1 on Saturday. The Dutch league's leading scorer Memphis Depay took his tally to 20 for the season when he made it 2-0 midway through the first half with a stunning free kick. Heerenveen midfielder Joey van den Berg pulled a goal back for his side before De Jong restored the two-goal advantage just before halftime and Luciano Narsingh added a fourth late on. It is a 22nd league championship for PSV, who are second only to Ajax (33 titles) in the Netherlands. Luuk de Jong scored two headed first half goals to put his side in control at the Philips Stadion. Memphis Depay (left), who scored a terrific free-kick, and Georgino Wijnaldum celebrate with the shield. Bottom side Dordrecht moved closer to relegation following a 3-0 loss at Vitesse Arnhem. Dordrecht trail Go Ahead Eagles, above them in the relegation playoff position, by seven points with three games left to play. Valeri Kazaishvili scored two and Renato Ibarra got the other for fourth-placed Vitesse. AZ Alkmaar, in fifth, ensured they would be involved in the Europa League playoffs at least with a 3-1 home win over ADO Den Haag. PSV's players pose for photos with the shield as they sealed the title with an impressive performance. Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj netted a brace and teenage defender Derrick Luckassen grabbed his first senior goal as the home side coasted to a comfortable win in the end. Portuguese striker Wilson Eduardo had equalised for the visitors 10 minutes into the second period.
| PSV beat Heerenveen to lift their first Eredivisie title in seven years. Ajax, who won the title for four successive years, are behind in second. Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay starred as PSV eased to 4-1 win. Dordecht are on the verge of relegation after 3-0 loss to Vitesse Arnhem. AZ Alkmaar qualified for the Europa League play-offs with 3-1 win.
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FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has made a formal rotation of the World Cup between the continents one of the key elements of his manifesto and says he can see a tournament being jointly hosted by several different nations. Prince Ali, a current FIFA vice-president from Jordan, said he could envisage a World Cup being played in different countries - or even in different confederations - in a similar way to Euro 2020 which is being played in 13 nations. In his manifesto, which he launched on Monday, Prince Ali has also warned against any decision on expanding the World Cup from its current 32 countries, or a re-allocation of places, being taken for purely political reasons to try to drum up votes for the FIFA presidency. Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, a FIFA presidential candidate, wants to see the World Cup rotated between nations. Prince Ali, who aims to replace Sepp Blatter (right), warned against expanding the World Cup from 32 teams. Prince Ali is standing for FIFA president alongside former Portugal and Real Madrid player Luis Figo. He is standing against current president Sepp Blatter, Michael van Praag from Holland and former Portugal international Luis Figo. In terms of World Cup rotation, Prince Ali said the confederations should take turns hosting the tournament. 'The principle is that it should be rotated among the confederations but it still has to be based on the best bids,' he said. 'But we have to be open-minded. I think it is also possible that two countries from different confederations could co-host the World Cup. Look at Europe in 2020 - a number of different regions or countries could host the World Cup - it's in the past now but potentially the Gulf could have had a World Cup due to its close proximity.' FIFA has announced it will make a decision on the allocation of World Cup places at an executive committee meeting the day after the presidential election on May 29. Prince Ali said much more consultation was needed before any decision should be made. He added: 'I am very hesitant about people playing politics with the most important flagship event of FIFA and possibly of sport in the world. 'We need to speak to all the stakeholders, including the sponsors. People are making promises to enlarge the World Cup but in 2022 they are making the World Cup shorter in terms of time frame. We cannot end up with a situation where mistakes are made again.' Prince Ali has also promised greater transparency, including making public the salary of the FIFA president and executive committee members. He also believes that the minutes of FIFA executive committee meetings should be made public. He also wants an investigation into how the US television rights for the 2026 World Cup were awarded to Fox without a tender process or any discussion with the FIFA executive committee. FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has said FIFA 'did what it had to do' to prevent any possible legal action from the broadcaster in relation to the 2022 rights after the Qatar World Cup was moved to the winter. Prince Ali, who insists there is a real appetite for change among FIFA associations, said large sums of money for football had potentially been lost. 'Unfortunately I was not made aware of it and I have been trying to find out what is going on,' he said. Michael van Praag (right), from Holland, is the remaining presidential candidate. 'Something went wrong and we need to get to the bottom of it. 'It needs to have a proper tendering process which is good practice in any organisation in the world. 'We are talking about a large sum of money that future generations will potentially have lost because of decisions or misadministration taking place at the moment by people who will probably not be around at that time.'
| Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein launched his election manifesto on Monday. He wants the World Cup hosting rights rotated between continents. He rejected the idea of the tournament being expanded out from 32 teams.
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Thirty years ago this month something as basic as two men hitting balls around a table with a stick gripped the nation by the throat. It was as iconic a moment of the Eighties as Duran Duran, yuppies, football hooliganism and Mrs Thatcher handbagging the unions. It was Steve Davis — lean, robotic and unsmiling — versus Dennis Taylor — tubby and splendidly bespectacled. ‘And so the lights go down,’ whispered commentator Ted Lowe to 18.5million viewers. ‘The players shake hands. One of these lucky chaps will pick up the title, the trophy and £60,000.’ Steve Davis (left) and Dennis Taylor pose with the trophy before their World Snooker final in 1985. Davis was leading the final 8-0 when he missed a shot on the green that he has rued to this day. Taylor pounced upon the error from Davis to overturn the difference and lead 9-7 overnight. The 1985 final was watched by 18.5million, a BBC2 record, but it is way behind the most-watched sporting events:. 1. 1966 World Cup final 32.30m. 2. 1970 FA Cup final replay Chelsea v Leeds 28.49m. 3. 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony 27.3m. 4. 2012 Closing Ceremony26.3m. 5. 1984 Winter Olympics Torvill and Dean23.95m. 6. 1998 World Cup England v Argentina 23.78m. With those words the biggest British television audience for a post-midnight programme and BBC2’s biggest for anything ever, settled down to watch the 35th and final frame of the 1985 World Championship, a torture of edgy, error-ridden, nerve-frayed snooker lasting 68 minutes. Before reliving those late agonies, we should go back a little further because Davis remembers the turning point of the match not as the black he overcut with his last, disastrous shot of the tournament, but something as innocuous as a green ball in the ninth frame. He was leading 8-0 while Taylor, as Davis put it, was ‘struggling to find the end of his tip with the chalk, never mind the pockets’. Davis says now: ‘If ever I was going to have therapy, it would not be about the black. Anybody could miss a ball under pressure. The green was a different story because I didn’t need to play it. I should have played safe and waited for a better chance. ‘If there is one shot in my whole career I want to go back and play again, it is that one. I missed it and it let Dennis in.’ From being on the verge of 9-0 down, Taylor fought back to 9-7 overnight. ‘I woke up screaming every hour,’ recalls Davis. He was the world No 1, winner the previous two years, and had made the perfect start. ‘What could go wrong?’ he muses now. ‘The green.’ Taylor performs his famous finger-wagging celebration after sinking the final black. To rake up that final with Davis even now is to intrude into a type of personal grief. ‘While I am happy to talk about it, I’m slightly aggrieved that nobody celebrated the 25th anniversary of me beating John Parrott 18-3 in 1989,’ he says, three-quarters joking. ‘Dennis loves it, of course. We say that every opportunity he gets in the commentary box he somehow manages to turn the conversation around to the ’85 final, even when we are discussing a free ball.’ Davis’s lead went from 14-11 to 15-12 to 15-15 to 17-15. Then all square at 17-17. Snooker was in its heyday, with cartoon-book characters such as Hurricane Higgins and Whirlwind White putting it second only to football in national popularity and this frame was the zenith. Davis sipped his water sparingly throughout. Taylor frequently muttered to his mother, who had died, aged 62, a few months before. It provided him with a welcome distraction from watching Davis dominating the table. But the championship came down to the final four balls. Taylor needed them all. He potted a great long brown, a difficult blue and a tricky pink. Taylor went over to kiss the little lady on the trophy before taking on the black. Davis led again 14-11 but the pair were eventually all square at 17-17 in Sheffield. The final came down to four balls left on the table and Taylor needed them all to claim victory. Taylor looks to the trophy for inspiration before taking an important shot in the final against Davis. Davis missed a black that seven out of ten times in competition he would have converted. ‘I don’t know why I did it to this day,’ he said. ‘I think it was either I am going to win you with this shot or lose you with it. I had made my mind up I was going to go for it.’ Taylor tries to double the black into the middle pocket. ‘The crowd opposite the pocket were in a better position than me to see it and they started cheering,’ says Taylor. ‘But it missed by a fraction.’ Davis then plays a superb safety shot, doubling the black from one end to the other. Taylor tries to double it again, this time up and down the table. It falls safe. Davis fluffs his next shot and lets Taylor in — a long black through the blue and green spots and his first genuine chance to take the title. ‘I twitched on it,’ recalls Taylor. ‘It was the biggest twitch ever seen at the Crucible. My head came up and the cue jerked at it. I missed it by so much the black came back and I almost fluked it at the other end.’ Now here was Davis’s chance: a cut into the bottom corner pocket. ‘I walked away thinking there was no way he would miss it,’ says Taylor. Thirty years on, Davis reckons he would have potted this shot nine times out of 10 in practice and seven out of 10 in competition. ‘It was tough but gettable and I was meant to be the man who got everything,’ he says. Referee John Williams calls for silence. Davis approaches the table. ‘I remember that walk was surreal, an out-of-body experience. My legs had gone. It did not feel as if any part of my anatomy was playing that shot.’ He crouches in total silence but overcuts the ball. Davis: ‘I knew I’d lost it at that moment.’ He put his hand to his head. He was white. The black he had left was straight forward. Only nerves could cause Taylor to flunk it. There were more cheers. Taylor, the underdog, was anecdotally most people’s choice to win, though ironically it turned out that his future wife, Louise, was supporting Davis as she watched the match at home. Taylor remembers: ‘I couldn’t believe I was coming back to the table. As I took the shot, I didn’t even grip the cue; I let it rest in my hand, so I would have to let go of it and it wouldn’t deviate.’ It worked, and the black was sunk. Taylor potted a straight forward black to win the final after 14 hours and 50 minutes of snooker. Davis looks at the ground after losing the final he had never been behind in until the last ball hit the pocket. Taylor kisses the trophy after finally emerging victorious after his lengthy duel with Davis. And so after 14 hours and 50 minutes of snooker, for every second of which Taylor had been behind, he was the champion of the world. He held his cue aloft in both hands above his head and pumped it over his head. He wagged his finger. It was an ‘I told you so gesture’ aimed at his friend Trevor East, head of ITV Sport, who had watched all but one session of Taylor’s entire championship campaign. It was 12.19am and time for bed. ‘Interesting’ by Steve Davis is published by Ebury Press, priced at £20.
| Snooker's most dramatic final gripped 18.5million viewers in 1985. Steve Davis had an 8-0 advantage when he missed a green ball. Dennis Taylor fought back heroically and eventually won the final 18-17.
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According to a woman who is apparently against the preachings of Andrew Caldwell, the St. Louis man got his just desserts. The 21-year-old became somewhat infamous late last year for video of him screaming 'I don't like mens no more - I like women, women, women!' after a pastor at an evangelical megachurch claimed to have cured his homosexuality. Caldwell hit headlines in November after the footage surfaced of him being 'delivered' by God. But he says he was attacked by an employee at a FroYo in Delmar on Wednesday after the cashier recognized him. He ended up completely doused in his own dessert at the counter. 'I filled (the bowl) all the way up to the top - I had some Kit Kats, I had some Reese's on it,' Caldwell told STL Today. 'It was all all in my face, on my clothes, in my shoes.' Scroll down for video. Unhappy viewer: This is the moment St. Louis FroYo cashier Stephanie Diaz (green shirt) throws a bowl of yogurt in the face of Andrew Caldwell, a man who found internet fame for saying God cured his homosexuality. Doused in dessert: Caldwell claimed Diaz attacked him because she disagreed with his ideals about being 'cured'. However Diaz said he demanded a discount and called her a 'dog' Heated confrontation over frozen yogurt: Caldwell was covered in FroYo, and said his bowl was extra large. Megachurch star: Andrew Caldwell in a still from a video of him speaking during a Church of God in Christ Convention in St. Louis last year, where he infamously said he 'don't like mens no more' Caldwell claims the employee recognized him from his video at the Church of God in Christ's 107th Holy Convocation. He said the woman called him a gay slur, said that it was impossible for God to 'turn' gay people straight, and then picked up the extra large bowl from the scale at the counter and aggressively threw it in Caldwell's face, according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However the employee, Stephanie Diaz, says Caldwell is a liar. In an interview with the same TV station, Diaz said Caldwell demanded a discount for his yogurt. When she didn't relent, he called her a 'dog' and a 'b----', Diaz said. Diaz, who is openly gay, said it had nothing to do with the viral video. 'I threw the ice cream at him,' she said outside of the store Thursday. 'He called me a dog. … I lost it.' 'I lost it': Stephanie Diaz, who is openly gay, admits to throwing the yogurt at Caldwell, but said he is lying about his story. Scene: The incident occurred Wednesday at his FroYo store in Delmar, St.Louis. Comfortably straight: Andrew Caldwell, seen here in a recent photo from his Facebook page, happily announced last year that God had cured his homosexuality and that he had been 'delivered' CCTV footage released of the incident shows Caldwell throwing money at Diaz. That is when Diaz throws the yogurt. The FroYo store released the footage to show Caldwell was lying. Diaz said she had never seen the church video or heard of Caldwell. She has been charged with third-degree assault. However Diaz has not been fired. FroYo have said any punishment that should occur from the incident will be handled internally. Stylish: Caldwell is pictured here dressed in head-to-toe designer clothing on his Facebook page. Caldwell says he is considering suing Diaz and FroYo. In he video of Caldwell being 'delivered' that went viral, he announces into the microphone: 'I’m not gay no more! I am delivered! I don’t like mens no more! I said I like women! Women, women, women! I said women! I’m not gay! I will not date a man! I will not carry a purse! I will not put on makeup! I will love a woman.' The megachurch audience can be heard screaming and cheering in the background, congratulating Caldwell on no longer being gay. The pastor then hands him $100, saying the Lord told him to. After the video spread, Caldwell - who was extravagantly dressed in a paisley suit, purple shirt and mustard bow tie - did a series of interviews, where he said he meant what he said, but was unhappy the video became so popular. He said he did not want to get in front of the church to begin with, but believes his homosexuality no longer exists.
| Andrew Caldwell, 21, went viral in November after footage from a St. Louis megachurch showed him screaming 'I don't like mens no more' He claimed to have been 'delivered', or cured of being gay. Caldwell had yogurt thrown at him at a FroYo in Delmar on Wednesday. He claims the employee recognized him and lashed out. However the worker, Stephanie Diaz, said Caldwell called her a 'dog'
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Sunderland have been branded ‘disgraceful’ following their shock decision not to suspend Adam Johnson despite the player facing child sex charges. The 27-year-old has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl and one of grooming and could face a prison term of up to 14 years if found guilty. But Sunderland — just one point above the Premier League relegation zone — announced on Friday that Johnson will remain available for selection and he is set to feature at Stoke. Sunderland midfielder Adam Johnson leaves Peterlee police station on Thursday after being charged. The 27-year-old has not been suspended by his club Sunderland despite the child sex charges. Johnson, who could face up to 14 years in prison, will now appear at Peterlee Magistrates Court on May 20. Apr 25 - Stoke (a) May 2 - Southampton (h) May 9 - Everton (a) May 16 - Leicester (h) May 20 - Arsenal (a) May 24 - Chelsea (a) Jill Saward was the first rape victim in England to waive her legal right to anonymity and she has urged fans to boycott the Stadium of Light because of the decision. ‘It is very difficult for families and for young girls who like going to football, who support football,’ she said. ‘Hopefully, people will not turn up.’ She added: ‘In any other situation like that, it would be the norm to suspend him. The fact the football club aren’t doing so sends a very poor message. 'Most of the clubs put money ahead of morality and I think it is disgraceful because it just sends a message out to people that, actually, all they’re interested in is their results, all they’re interested in is winning.’ However, Jim Gilling, secretary of the Coxhoe Supporters’ Group, believes Johnson should be free to play. ‘It’s the right decision,’ he said. ‘We have to remember he is not guilty of anything yet. ‘But the club have left their decision open and it may well be that they reverse it should circumstances change.’ Manager Dick Advocaat supports the club’s stance and admits Johnson is ‘an important player’ as they fight relegation. But many fans are concerned that the decision has been taken on footballing grounds given the threat to their top-flight status. Steve Dean, secretary of the SAFC Liaison Group, told Sportsmail: ‘I am very surprised the club did not suspend him. ‘Going out of the Premier League would cost the club millions of pounds and that is often the first consideration these days. The England international (right) was wearing a black tracksuit as he attended the hearing on Thursday. Johnson was accompanied by his lawyer as the Sunderland winger arrived at the police station on Thursday. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TABLE. ‘I never miss a game and no-one wants to see Sunderland in the Premier League more than me, but morally I think the decision is wrong. If they were in mid-table I suspect it might have been different. Clive Dent, secretary of the Sedgefield Supporters’ Group, agrees. ‘I would prefer it if he didn’t play,’ he said. ‘Now he has been charged he is going to be even more of a target for supporters. He’s going to get hammered.’ Advocaat was not consulted over the issue. He will decide whether Johnson is in the right frame of mind to start on Saturday. And the Dutch boss said: ‘I’ve got a decision to make (as to whether I play him). He is an important player for us. The club have made a statement and I stand behind that.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
| Adam Johnson could feature against Stoke on Saturday afternoon. READ: Johnson has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. The 27-year-old could face up to 14 years in prison if he is found guilty. Jill Saward, the first rape victim in England to waive her anonymity, has hit out at Premier League outfit Sunderland. Saward insists Sunderland are sending out a 'very poor message'
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Patrick Vieira's Manchester City Elite Development Squad saw their Barclays Under 21 Premier League title hopes take a hit as an own goal gifted West Ham a deserved victory over them at Upton Park. A Dan Potts header and Adam Drury's own goal gave West Ham a two-goal lead before Olivier Ntcham pulled back a goal for City, but it was not enough. Patrick Vieira's side were missing a number of players who were busy preparing for Monday night's FA Youth Cup final second leg against Chelsea, when they will be looking to overturn a 3-1 deficit at Stamford Bridge. Dan Potts scored the opener to set West Ham on their way before an own goal doubled their lead. Patrick Vieira witnessed his Manchester City Under 21s side lose to West Ham at Upton Park on Friday. West Ham United: Spiegel, Knoyle, Page (c), Nasha (Mavila 80), Pask, Potts, Ward (Pike 72), Makasi, Brown, Diangana, Parfitt-Williams. Unused subs: Bogard, Westley, Hector-Ingram. Manchester City: Gunn, Drury, Oliver, Smith-Brown, Horsfield, Holland, Intima, Ntcham, Pozo, Glendon (c), Dilrosum (Nuttall 60). Unused subs: Tattum, O'Brien, Bullock, Fernandes. Under the Upton Park lights, the hosts took the lead inside just 11 minutes. A Djair Parfitt-Williams cross came in from the right and full back Potts was the surprise recipient, popping up to head past Angus Gunn at the far post. City rallied and Potts proved his worth at the other end, clearing Jorge Intima's strike off the line following a corner. The visitors were in the ascendency going into half-time but within nine minutes of the restart West Ham had doubled their lead and this time it was a gift. Jordan Brown fired in a teasing cross and Drury could only stab into his own net in an attempt to clear. Olivier Ntcham, pictured playing against Roma earlier this season, pulled one back but it was in vain. City finally pulled one back with 14 minutes to go when Ntcham rounded goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel to half the deficit. Tom Holland and Jose Pozo both went close to levelling matters and substitute Fernandes shot wide when he maybe should have scored. But the Hammers held on for three points as City's title hopes at Under 21 level took a hit.
| Manchester City lost in the Under 21 Premier League at Upton Park. Dan Potts gave the home side the lead with a header after 11 minutes. Adam Drury put the ball past his own goalkeeper to double the lead. Olivier Ntcham pulled a goal back for Patrick Vieira's side but they lost out.
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Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao will be the biggest fight of all time financially and the most significant this century. Evaluating the greatest ever fights is a complex variable of several factors including not only the quality and excitement of the action but the political, social and cultural undertones, the scale of expectation and outside influences. Where Money Man v PacMan comes to rank among the most important fights in ring history will depend upon what happens that coming night in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In this, the sixth in a series of 12 fights that shaped boxing history, I recall when a hard man could take no more... THE NO MAS FIGHT. New Orleans, Louisiana. November 25, 1980. Sugar Ray Leonard v Roberto Duran. The first two of the three fights between the Sugar Man and Hands of Stone raised the curtain on what is considered the golden age of boxing in the classic middling weights of boxing, with Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler engaging each other in some of the ring’s epic battles. By way of a preview, Leonard had defeated the previous — and equally great — Felix Trinidad to win the world welterweight title. Sugar Ray Leonard celebrates after Roberto Duran quit in their fight in Louisiana in November 1980. Leonard decided to use his exceptional speed and movement to beat the Panamanian in the second fight. GEORGE FOREMAN V MUHAMMAD ALI. October 30, 1974, Kinshasa, Zaire. JOE FRAZIER v MUHAMMAD ALI. March 8, 1971, Madison Square Garden, New York. JACK JOHNSON v JAMES JEFFRIES. July 4, 1910, Reno, Nevada. JOE LOUIS v MAX SCHMELING. June 22, 1938, Yankee Stadium, New York. MUHAMMAD ALI V JOE FRAIZIER. October 1, 1975, Quezon City, Philippines. In his first defence, Sugar Ray had been contentiously outpointed by Duran in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. So confused was the scoring that the result was first announced as a majority decision. That was changed to unanimous in Duran’s favour after one judge was found to have totalled his score incorrectly and his card was altered from a draw to 148-147. There was more uproar when that judge was revealed to have marked just three rounds in favour of Duran and only two for Leonard — with 10 even. That was described as ‘a monument to indecision’. Come the inevitable rematch eight months later, in the Louisana Superdome in New Orleans on November 25, 1980, controversy was to be replaced by disbelief. Leonard had gambled in the first fight by taking the macho decision to take on the Panamanian hard man in a mano-a-mano slug-out. Second time around he wisely chose to use his exceptional ability, especially his speed and movement. Duran became frustrated as Leonard danced around him before unleashing his punches. After being caught flush in the face in the eighth round, Duran turned his back and said 'No mas' ‘The whole fight I was moving. Moving. Then voom, I’d snap his head back with a jab. Voom, I’d snap it back again. He’d try to get me on the ropes. I’d pivot, spin off and pow, come under with a punch.’ So it went for more than seven rounds, with Duran becoming increasingly frustrated. In the eighth Leonard cranked up the psychological pressure by waving his right arm in circles and then planting a left flush in Duran’s face. There had been a moment earlier when Leonard appeared to pat him playfully on the backside. Just before the bell Duran turned his back and walked to his corner, waving his arms to indicate he was finished and famously telling the referee: ‘No mas.’ Spanish for no more. Leonard celebrates after his opponent quit, and said it was more of an achievement than knocking Duran out. The result stunned the watching world, and it took three years for Duran to rebuild his reputation. The watching world was stunned. Here was one of the most heroic warriors in boxing history quitting in the most humiliating manner possible. Clearly he felt humiliated. Sensing the reaction Duran claimed he had stomach cramps caused by eating too heavily after the morning weigh-in. But his manager Carlos Eleta said: ‘He always eats like that before a fight. He quit because he was embarrassed.’ Duran had been a national icon in Panama and there was anger on the streets at his action. Television commercials featuring him were taken off. It took three years for Duran to restore his high place in his country’s esteem. He did so on June 16, 1983, his 32nd birthday, by knocking out Davey Moore in Las Vegas to win the world light-middleweight title. Rejoicing returned to the streets. Leonard would win their third fight in 1989 by a points landslide, thereby retaining the world super-middleweight title. But Sugar Ray took most pride from the trilogy from forcing Duran to say No Mas. He said: ‘To me, making Roberto Duran to quit was better than knocking him out.’
| Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao is now just nine days away. Sportsmail's Jeff Powell has been counting down the greatest fights. In the sixth of a series of 12 fights that shaped boxing history, we have Sugar Ray Leonard v Roberto Duran. Leonard humiliated his opponent until he said 'No Mas' - no more. It took Duran three years to reclaim his mantle as a hero in Panama.
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Paula Radcliffe expects her emotions to spill over once more when she pulls down the curtain on her competitive running career in Subday's London Marathon. David Beckham memorably cried in the dying moments of his last appearance for Paris Saint-Germain, overwhelmed during the final moments of his professional football career. ‘I spent most of my career crying, didn’t I?’ said Radcliffe, laughing at the comparison, ‘I have done enough crying but I don’t know, I think the marathon does that to you anyway because you are so exhausted by the end of it, emotions are really close to the surface.’ World record holder Paula Radcliffe says she is likely to cry when she runs the final race of her career. Sunday's London Marathon will be Radcliffe's final competitive marathon of her career. Radcliffe joked that she has never been far from tears in her career, as she was at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Radcliffe has battled with an injury to her left foot, which made it difficult for her even to walk short distances two months ago, to make it to the start line. She will set off with the masses rather than the elite runners but the memory of her stunning 2hr 15min 25sec world record run in London in 2003 will not be far from her thoughts. Almost 12 years later no woman has come close to that mark, but Radcliffe insists her remarkable time was not a mixed blessing. ‘I would never call it double-edged,’ she said, ‘The longer it stands, and now as I get older and training gets harder, I appreciate it a lot more than I did. When I crossed the line I thought I could go and run faster.’ Thereafter Radcliffe’s career was plagued by injury and misfortune, particularly at the Olympics. She pulled out of the Athens 2004 marathon at 22 miles and sobbed at the side of the road. In Beijing four years later she wept as she struggled over the line in 23rd place. She was forced to pull out of London 2012. The former World Champion says she knows she got the best out of her career, despite several injuries. Radcliffe set the world record in 2003 when she won the London Marathon in a time of 2:15:25. ‘Maybe my career was a little bit shorter because I ran so hard to do those times early on. But, still, I can look back and say I got the best out of myself that I was capable of doing.’ Radcliffe maintained she wanted to finish her career on her own terms and in London. ‘If you said to me you could run another marathon hard and be competitive but you’ll never be able to run again, I wouldn’t choose that. ‘I don’t want to do something that would jeopardise the health of my foot. I want to be able to run with my kids.’ The 35th London Marathon will double up as the IPC World Championships, and the women’s elite race sees Edna Kiplagat attempt to retain her title. The men’s race features a much anticipated battle between defending champion Wilson Kipsang — who is aiming for a third win —and the new world-record holder Dennis Kimetto, who makes his London debut.
| Paula Radcliffe will retire from competitive running after London marathon. Radcliffe set the world record at the event in 2003. And she says that she will be thinking of that moment during final race.
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Jose Mourinho revealed he prepared his Chelsea players to deal with the threat of Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini all week – only to be told by a hotel doorman that the Belgian was not playing. Mourinho planned for Kurt Zouma to man mark Fellaini - with teenager Ruben Loftus-Cheek playing the 6ft 4in midfielder in training. But he feared his tactical master plan was set to be for nothing when the Chelsea boss was told that the Manchester United man was not playing by the doorman at the club's hotel. Marouane Fellaini (right) poses with his twin brother Mansour (right) during his days as an Everton player. Mansour (left) and Marouane (right) look on from the stands during Everton's game Leyton Orient in 2012. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted his side were confused as to whether Fellaini was playing. Mourinho, relaying his conversation with the doorman, said: 'Fellaini doesn't play because he was here to get tickets for the game from Eden Hazard. He was dressed in jeans, this and that'. '(It) didn't smell well for me. I go to Google and I put 'Fellaini brother'. Images. 'So I go with the pictures to the doorman. I say 'hey, this one or this one?' And he looks 'this one'. 'He's the brother'.' Mourinho said the other Fellaini - his twin brother Mansour - posed for photos as the United player, who had been in the Blues boss' thoughts all week, did start the game at Stamford Bridge which Chelsea won 1-0 to move within two wins of the Premier League title. Indeed, Chelsea could claim the trophy as early as April 29 should they beat Arsenal and Leicester in their next two fixtures. In the end, Fellaini did play at Stamford Bridge, but was dealt with in midfield by Chelsea's Kurt Zouma (left) Zouma (right) had been given a specific tactical brief to stifle the threat of Fellaini (left) during the game.
| Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had prepared specific tactics for dealing with the threat of Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini. However, ahead of the game at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho was told by a hotel doorman that Fellaini would not be playing. The doorman had seen who he had thought was Fellaini pick up some tickets from Chelsea forward Eden Hazard. A Google images search revealed that person to be Fellaini's twin brother. Fellaini did play against Chelsea but was dealt with by Kurt Zouma.
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There was a time when the name of Juventus would be one to avoid in the semi-final of European competition. Those days are long gone. When The Old Lady of Turin takes her place alongside Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid on Friday, it will appear that Massimiliano Allegri has returned this great club to the elite level. In reality it will be a clash of cultures as Juventus, who have kept nine clean sheets in their last ten fixtures, plot their path to the Champions League final in Berlin. It will be painful and far from pretty if Juve, who held on to the lead Arturo Vidal gave them from the penalty spot in the first leg against Monaco, progress to the final on June 6. There were scenes of elation as a scoreless draw saw Juventus through to their first Champions League semi-final since 2003. Juventus's Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez react at the full-time whistle as their 0-0 result against Monaco proved a victory for the Italians. Juventus players celebrate after their 1-0 win in Turin, courtesy of a penalty from Arturo Vital, was preserved in Monaco. The Juventus players ran to their supporters with Carlos Tevez (third left) ditching his jersey for the celebrations. Giorgio Chiellini (left) and Leonardo Bonucci race towards their fans, before Chiellini throws his number three shirt into the crowd. Veteran Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon punches clear as his defense live dangerously in their second leg against Monaco. Juventus's midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo shows his strength as he holds off Monaco's Jeremy Toulalan in their 0-0 draw in Monte Carlo. MONACO: Subasic 6; Fabinho 7, Raggi 6, Abdennour 6.5, Kurzawa 6; Joao Moutinho 6.5, Toulalan 6 (Berbatov 46mins, 7), Kondogbia 7.5; Bernardo Silva 6.5, Martial 6 (Germain 76', Ferreira-Carrasco 6.5 (Carvalho 87'). Booked: Bernardo, Kondogbia. Subs not used: Stekelenburg, Dirar, Wallace, Elderson. Manager: Leonardo Jardim: 6.5. JUVENTUS: Buffon 6.5; Barzagli 6, Bonucci 6.5, Chiellini 6; Lichsteiner 6.5, Marchisio 6, Pirlo 6.5, Vidal 6 (Pereyra 77'), Evra 6.5 (Padoin 90'); Tevez 6.5, Morata 6 (Llorente 69'). Subs not used: Storari, Ogbonna, Padoin, Sturaro, Matri. Booked: Chiellini, Tevez. Manager: Massimiliano Allegri 6. Referee: William Collum (Scotland) 7. At the final whistle Giorgio Chiellini raced across the athletics track at Stade Louis II to throw his number three shirt into the hordes of Juve supporters celebrating their first appearance in a semi-final since 2003. The feeling is that Juve’s race is run. On the surface Allegri’s team are looking good, 15 points clear of second placed Lazio in Serie A and heading for a semi-final against a genuine European force in a couple of weeks’ time. The reality is that this team is relying on some classic Italian traits, with some stubborn defending and the dogged work of Carlos Tevez, Juve’s only out ball, for some hustling up front. It works, painfully so at times, and they are certainly a long way short of the last Juventus team to reach the Champions League final at Old Trafford in 12 year ago. Back then Marcello Lippi’s team had some real class, with the names of Edgar Davids, David Trezeguet, Alessio Tacchinardi and Alessandro del Piero taking Milan to a penalty shoot-out in Manchester. Today’s team relies on the presence of their veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, a survivor from that defeated 2003 team, to provide some reassurance. Before this tie against Monaco, the Italian World Cup winning goalkeeper spoke about the honour and prestige for Juventus if they could reach the semi-final. The second leg was all about survival. At times this was about the darker side of the game, with Chiellini shown an early yellow card when he scandalously scooped the ball away with his hand to prevent Joao Moutinho racing clear. All three at the back - Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli - lived dangerously, a mistake waiting to happen on a tense and anxious night. Monaco were brisk and innovative, using the first half energy of their central midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia to provide the momentum for Leonardo Jardim’a side. Kondogbia deserved so much more from this tie. Juventus and Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini (left) reaches out to pull the ball away from Monaco's Joao Moutinho after slipping over. Scottish referee William Collum (right) is forced into his pocket inside the opening minute after Chiellini's handball stopped an attack. Juventus striker Carlos Tevez takes on Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia after referee Collum plays the advantage. Former Manchester City and West Ham marksman Tevez puts his hands to his mouth as a well-hit strike sails off target. He had a decent shout for a penalty in the first half when he was sandwiched between Chiellini and Vidal, sent off balance when the pair squashed him as he made his way into the area. Kondogbia was awesome here and anyone who can outshine Pirlo, save for the odd killer pass for Tevez or Alvaro Morata, in the centre of midfield must be doing something right. Tevez and Morata, who was eventually replaced in the 69th minute by Fernando Llorente, should be credited for their tireless performance in this second leg because they had both picked up a virus the night before the game. Both are believed to have been sick on the pitch. It was Tevez who had Juve’s best chance here, an effort that skidding wide of Monaco keeper Danijel Subasic’s left hand post on the stroke of half-time. Monaco sent for Dimitar Berbatov at the break, sending on the Bulgarian striker to replace the withdrawn figure of France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan. He had a poor game here. Former Manchester United full back Patrice Evra (right) takes on Monaco's Fabinho at pace in Monaco on Wednesday night. Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia attempts to squeeze between Chiellini (left) and Vidal (right) and goes down but penalty appeals were denied. Fabinho (left) and Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal each show their studs high as they challenge for the bouncing ball. Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic (right) anticipates a dangerous ball over the top from Pirlo before Stephan Lichtsteiner (26) can meet it. Switzerland defender Lichtsteiner knows how key Croatian Subasic's speed off the line was as he comes close to an opening goal for Juve. There was a touch of the old Berbatov in this 45 minute spell, increasing the tempo with some quick-witted first team passes and some blindside runs into the Juve penalty area. What he craved was the one chance to beat Buffon, to carve out an opening that could, at the very least, have given them another 30 minutes to get the job done. Instead, Juve are heading for extra time. Monaco's French midfielder and captain Toulalan (left) is beaten to the jump by Juventus's Spanish forward Alvaro Morata. Toulalan (left), who returned to the Monaco line-up after missing the first leg defeat, keeps tight on Morata. Pirlo stems a Monaco attack from the ground with his body and arm as Bernardo Silva attempts to takes his side forward on the counter. Kondogbia (right) deserved more from the game after a towering performance in the centre of Monaco's midfield. Dimitar Berbatov (left), who came on for Toulalan at half-time, contests the ball in the air with Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci. The Principality's Kondogbia (centre) plots his side's next move forward under pressure from Argentinean striker Tevez (right) He added intensity, charging about the pitch in search of the ball as Leonado Jardim’s team went about the business of finding an opener. They needed it, the one chance to beat Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon to give them a chance of reaching the semi-final of the Champions League. Buffon was a key player here. He made a couple of decent stops, but his commanding presence and his reassuring nature in that Juve goal is a formidable hurdle for the opposition. Here, he simply could not be beaten. Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva (left) finds himself in the book after this wild challenge on Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio. Tevez attempt on goal flies clear of the target as both sides struggled to break to deadlock in the second leg. It was hugs all round for the Juve players as they booked their place in Friday's draw for the Champions League semi-finals. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri gestures to his players as two tight defensive units did battle. Monaco head coach Leonardo Jardim makes a praying gesture as his side are asked to force the pace against Juventus. Prince Albert II of Monaco (right) attends Monaco vs Juventus with his nephew Andrea Casiraghi (left) The red and white scarves of Monaco's home colours are shown ahead of kick-off as they will their side towards a potential semi-final. A strong contingent from the Italian champions were in the Louis II Stadium for their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
| Juventus go through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals 1-0 on aggregate after second leg draw. Arturo Vidal's penalty in the first leg in Torino proved enough to earn the Italians a date with winner in Madrid. Real Madrid defeated 10-man Atletico Madrid 1-0 in their second leg clash after a 0-0 deadlock in their first leg.
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With a possible 11 games left to their season Barcelona’s front three of Leo Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are just seven goals short of clocking up a century in their first season together. The three amigos will match the total scored by Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Messi in 2009 if they reach 100 goals and they will inevitably fuel the debate that they are fast becoming the greatest front three in Barcelona’s history. Henry scored 26, Eto’o 36 and Messi 38 goals in the 2008-09 season. In this campaign Messi has 46, Neymar 28 and Suarez 19 despite missing the first three months through suspension. Scroll down for video. Lionel Messi, Neymar Jnr and Luis Suarez are seven goals short of reaching 100 for the season. Messi rounds Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves to score during Barcelona's 2-0 win on Saturday. Suarez celebrates with Neymar and Messi after netting the opener against Valencia in the La Liga clash. Gareth Bale with 17, Cristiano Ronaldo with 50, and Karim Benzema 22, have 86 between them for Real Madrid but the question is no longer can Messi, Suarez and Neymar out-do their La Liga rivals, rather can they out-do the greatest forward lines in Barcelona’s history? The Henry/Eto’o/Messi forward line won the 2009 European Cup and was followed two years later – after the failed attempt to bring Zlatan Ibrahimovic into the mix in 2010 – by the Messi/David Villa/Pedro strike force that also won a European Cup against Manchester United in 2011. They scored 98 goals in the 2010-11 season with Messi getting 53, Villa 23 and Pedro 21. Both attacks had a tendency to come good in the Clasicos with the Henry/Eto’o/Messi strikeforce playing in one of the most famous Real Madrid-Barcelona games of all time in 2009 with Barca winning 6-2 at the Bernabeu and Henry and Messi both scored twice. Messi celebrates with Thierry Henry after Barcelona won the Champions League in 2009. The Argentine congratulates team-mate Samuel Eto'o after he scores in the Champions League final in 2009. The current combination lacks the European Cup the other two have and a big win over Real Madrid but there is still time for them to combine the two with a Clasico final still a possibility. When they first came together at the start of the season there was the fear among Barcelona supporters that the team would not be big enough for the three of them. Barça legend Johan Cruyff had already warned a year early that ‘a ship cannot have two captains’ and that Neymar and Messi would not get on. When Suarez was introduced that was, for some, another reason to believe Luis Enrique would have problems. But nothing could have been further from the truth. Suarez has had his fair share of highly controversial incidents but has never been a bad influence in the dressing room. In Monday’s training session at Barça’s Sports City he received a playful knee between the legs from Neymar in a light-hearted training session ahead of tonight’s game. His relationship with the Brazilian is good; and with Messi’s it’s even better. After a slow start to his Barca career Suarez has now scored 19 goals despite missing the first months of the season through suspension. Messi celebrates with Suarez after the Uruguay international netted against Valencia. Messi never saw eye to eye with David Villa or Ibrahimovic and both were put out at times at having to play second fiddle to the four times Balon d’Or winner but after a season accommodating Daniel Sturridge's preference for playing through the middle, the demands of Messi have not been a problem for Suarez. The training-ground chemistry has been good and has translated on to the pitch. Goals statistics aside Barcelona have always boasted brilliant front threes. Messi was first thrust into a forward line that boasted Ronaldinho and Eto’o and they won the Champions League in 2004 against Arsenal. Hristo Stoichkov, Michael Laudrup and Romario was Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team front three in the 1993-94 season but their time together was brief and they never won the European Cup – losing 4-0 to Milan with Laudrup on the bench. If this season ends with Messi, Suarez and Neymar smashing the 100 goals barrier and lifting the trophy in Berlin no other forward line in Barcelona’s history will be able to touch them.
| Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have scored 93 goals this season. Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto'o scored 100 goals in 2008-09 season. The trio will attempt to steer Barcelona into Champions League semi-final. Luis Enrique's side hold a 3-1 advantage from the quarter-final first leg. READ: Messi has a place at Barca until he retires, claims club president.
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Arsenal will play in their yellow and blue away strip for the FA Cup final against Aston Villa on May 30 - and the history books points towards that being a good thing for the Gunners. Tim Sherwood's Villa side won the coin toss ahead of the final next month - which allows the winner to select club colours in the event of a clash of strip. They picked their claret and blue home kit for the Wembley showpiece and therefore guaranteed that they will have worn the same strip for every round of the competition this season. Alexis Sanchez (far right) is congratulated after scoring Arsenal's semi-final winner against Reading. Arsenal players celebrate winning the 1979 FA Cup final at Wembley after beating Manchester United 3-2. The Arsenal starting XI line up ahead of their FA Cup final against Liverpool on May 8, 1971. But that won't phase Arsene Wenger's side at all, with a creditable record of three cup final wins in five appearances in the yellow and blue strip, giving Gunners fans room for optimism as they look to retain the FA Cup. Arsenal last wore yellow in the 1980 FA Cup final where they narrowly lost to London rivals West Ham United, but a year earlier donned the same colours as they got the better of Manchester United in a five-goal thriller at the home of English football. The Gunners also won the competition in 1950 and 1971 while wearing yellow, on both occasions seeing off Liverpool. Arsenal players celebrate after Charlie George scored his side's winner against Liverpool in 1971. Arsenal skipper Joe Mercer is held up by his team-mates as they toast their victory over Liverpool in 1950. Fabian Delph (middle) is mobbed by his Villa team-mates after he scored the winner against Liverpool. Interestingly though, despite Villa winning the pre-match coin toss, Arsenal will be classed as the home side for the final as this is decided purely alphabetically. The kick-off time for the clash - which will be shown on both BBC One and BT Sport 1 - has also been confirmed as 5.30pm on Saturday May 30, with both clubs receiving an equal allocation of 25,000 tickets. These tickets will be classified into four different pricing bands - £50, £70, £90 and £120. In addition to the 50,000 tickets split between the two clubs involved, approximately 20,000 tickets also will be distributed to volunteers throughout the football family which most notably includes counties, leagues, local clubs and charities. And 17,000 tickets will also be used by Club Wembley members, with the FA Cup final part of their membership package.
| Arsenal face Aston Villa in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30. Tim Sherwood's side won the toss to decide which kit they'll wear. Villa chose their claret and blue home strip for the FA Cup showdown. Arsenal will play in their yellow and blue away kit. The Gunners have won three of the five finals played in the kit.
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West Ham are planning to move for Real Madrid’s European goal hero Javier Hernandez as part of an extensive summer recruitment programme. Hernandez, 26, is on loan at Real from Manchester United and scored a late winner in the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The striker nicknamed the Little Pea has started only twice in La Liga for Carlo Ancelotti and will return to Old Trafford at the end of the season, where he has one year left on his contract. Javier Hernandez celebrates after scoring the winner for Real Madrid against rivals Atletico on Wednesday. The striker will leave Real at the end of this season and return to Manchester United. The Mexican does not feature in Louis van Gaal's plans and could be available for around £7million. He is not in Louis van Gaal’s plans and will be up for sale at around £7million. There will be interest from other Barclays Premier League clubs but West Ham have a list of primarily young transfer targets ahead of their final season at Upton Park. They are in pursuit of Sampdoria’s Spanish midfielder Pedro Obiang, 23, Senegal striker Moussa Konate, 22, of FC Sion in Switzerland and Basle’s 23-year-old centre half Fabian Schar.
| Javier Hernandez scored winner against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The Mexico international is on loan at Real Madrid from Manchester United. Hernandez does not feature in Louis van Gaal's plans for next season. The striker, who will have one year left on his contract, would cost £7m.
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Those surprised at Yaya Toure's apparent desire to talk himself in to a transfer from Manchester City this week should not be. The Ivorian's CV tells the story of a player who has always placed pragmatism above sentiment when it comes to his choice of clubs. Toure, for example, left home as a teenager to play in the Belgian second division. Following that came some formative years playing for Metalurh Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. History also tells us that Toure, now almost 32, never stays in one place too long. Equally, though, Toure's rather clumsy statements of recent times should not be allowed to detract from his legacy at City and indeed in the Barclays Premier League. It looks likely Yaya Toure may leave Manchester City this summer but his legacy should be a positive one. Toure has struggled to impose himself upon games for City in the manner seen in previous seasons. Toure's time at City is defined as a success, bringing two Premier League titles to the Etihad. It looks extremely likely that he will leave England this summer. Toure has started to play and sound like an unhappy footballer, the social alliance he has formed with the Etihad's enfant terrible Samir Nasri hardly helping. If and when he does go, though, it is for his extraordinary contribution on the field – and not the unfortunate noise that has started to surround him - for which he should be remembered. At his club, Toure has been fundamental to City's transition from wealthy hopefuls to twice champions. Back in 2010, he arrived as a statement signing - a £24m fee and £1m a month – for a club determined to accelerate its own learning curve. It worked and, on a wider scale, he has simply been one of the most watchable footballers our league has ever seen in its modern form. I once asked a member of City's coaching staff if there was anybody quicker at the club than Micah Richards. He replied: 'Yes, Yaya. Not over the first few yards but when he gets going he is unstoppable. He's like a truck heading downhill without the brakes.' Premier League defenders would testify to that but there was always more to him. Toure possesses an intelligent football brain, the vision required of all top class central players and a sureness of touch. He has also had a demeanour that has allowed him the confidence to play just about anywhere on the field. This, remember, is a man who played as a central defender in a Champions League final against Manchester United. The first time he had ever played that position, he faced off with Cristiano Ronaldo as Barcelona won in Rome in 2009. 'We had a good team so it was not that hard for me that night,' Toure told this newspaper in December 2011. Toure (right) demonstrated his versatily by shackling Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2009 Champions League final. Midfield player Toure (left) signed for City for a fee of £24million from Barcelona in 2010. Mark Hughes, the then City boss, begun a plan to sign Kolo Toure in an attempt to entice Yaya along. In that same interview, Toure admitted that he liked to listen to Whitney Houston in his car on the way to training. 'That other music makes my head hurt,' he laughed. A detail that had been leaked rather mischievously by his brother Kolo, it pointed to a relationship that went straight to the heart of Toure's presence at the Etihad Stadium. Though he didn't arrive at City until five summers ago, City's pursuit of Toure had actually started eighteen months earlier in the January window of 2009. Stunned by a home FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest, City's then manager Mark Hughes presented the club's board with a list of transfer targets. Toure, then in his Barcelona pomp, was on it and so, cleverly, was his brother. The plan was straight forward. Sign Kolo and maybe Yaya would follow. The two brothers – as close as could be – had always wanted to play together domestically and Kolo's subsequent recruitment from Arsenal in the summer of 2009 was the trigger for the arrival of Yaya a year later. Sadly for Hughes, sacked at Christmas later that year, he wasn't around to see his plan come together. Nevertheless, Yaya's arrival remains one of the pivotal moments in the development of the modern Manchester City. The plan worked, with both Ivory Coast players gradually signing, but Hughes had been sacked by then. Toure (left) is a quiet figure away from the field and refuted reports of a fall-out with Mario Balotelli. Toure (centre) led City to the Premier League title 2012 and inspired an important victory at Newcastle. Away from the field, the lumbering Toure has always been a relatively gentle soul. When he ordered a 50inch TV from a store in South Manchester soon after his arrival in the area, he was immediately told by wife Gineba to return it. It was simply too big – she said – which was interesting given that on the same day she had taken delivery of a dressing table with Swarovski diamonds embedded in the drawer handles. When, in April 2012, Toure was accused in print of arguing with Mario Balotelli during half-time of a game against Sunderland he invited Sportsmail to talk to him. 'I love Mario,' he said. 'I am going to take him on holiday to Africa.' That trip never took place but on the field Toure fulfilled the promises he made when he arrived. A winning goal in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United in 2011 was followed by another, against Stoke City, in the final. City were up and running and when Toure scored from 30 yards at Newcastle a year later, a first Premier League title was on its way. For a while, he was almost unstoppable. Toure (left) also led City to FA Cup glory in 2011 with a decisive goal against United in the semi-final. Toure also scored City's winning goal against Stoke City in the FA Cup final in 2011. Toure delivered the trophies that he was brought in to do and will be missed at City when he departs. This season, Toure has not been at his best. He has, at times, looked his age. His manager Manuel Pellegrini hasn't always helped by asking him to play as part of a holding two in midfield when it has been apparent for a while that he is now most effective as a modern day number ten, free of defensive obligations. City still win lots of games when Toure starts, though. They will miss him when he goes. The footprints he leaves behind will be deep ones.
| Yaya Toure arrived at Manchester City in 2010 from Barcelona. He has led City to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup. If he departs City in the summer, the club will find it hard to replace him.
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On Tuesday, SpaceX came incredibly close to landing its Falcon 9 rocket booster on a barge in the middle of the Atlantic. Now, leaked footage reveals just how close Elon Musk's firm came to success, with a close-up view of the daring attempt shot on a GoPro camera. The unverified video shows the rocket drifting onto its target before a gust of wind topples it over. On Tuesday, SpaceX came incredibly close to landing its Falcon 9 rocket booster on a barge in the middle of the Atlantic. Now, leaked footage reveals just how close Elon Musk's firm came to success, with a close-up view of the daring attempt shot on a GoPro camera. A deleted tweet by Musk says that the rocket appeared to be suffering from 'stiction in the biprop throttle valve, resulting in control system phase lag.' This means the valve controlling the flow propellent and oxidiser to the engine wasn't moving fast enough. As a result, the actions from rocket's computers couldn't be acted upon in time to correct the tilt of the booster caused by a gust of wind. The video, which appeared on Reddit, reveals how the rocket overcompensates for its extreme tilt. A deleted tweet by Musk says that the rocket appeared to be suffering from 'stiction in the biprop throttle valve, resulting in control system phase lag.' This means the valve designed to control the flow propellent and oxidiser to the engine wasn't moving fast enough. As a result, the actions from rocket's computers couldn't be acted upon in time to correct the tilt of the booster. Earlier this week SpaceX has released its own dramatic footage of its third attempt to land a rocket booster on a barge in the Atlantic. The video, taken from a plane , shows the Falcon 9 booster lowering itself onto the platform, before exploding on impact. The maneuver was attempted following the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket a few minutes earlier from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Soon after the launch, billionaire SpaceX founder, Musk, tweeted: 'Ascent successful. Dragon enroute to Space Station. Rocket landed on droneship, but too hard for survival.' The unverified video shows the rocket drifting into view in slow motion and floating onto its target before a gust of wind topples it over. Pictured is the moment of impact. A deleted tweet by Musk says that the rocket appeared to be suffering from 'stiction in the biprop throttle valve, resulting in control system phase lag.' This means the valve controlling the flow propellent and oxidiser to the engine wasn't moving fast enough. Landing the rocket upright was always going to be tricky. SpaceX once compared it to balancing a broomstick on your hand. The autonomous spaceport drone ship is 300ft by 100ft (90 by 30 metres), with wings that extend its width to 170ft (50 metres). Musk had put 50-50 odds on the attempt being successful and said that improvements to the design would happen throughout the year. Despite being destroyed, the booster's flyback marks another step in the company's quest to develop rockets that can be refurbished and reflown, potentially slashing launch costs. 'This might change completely how we approach transportation to space,' SpaceX Vice President Hans Koenigsman told reporters during a prelaunch press conference. The Falcon 9 is on now its way to deliver 4,300lb (1,950 kg) of food, clothing and science experiments to the ISS - including an eagerly awaited espresso machine for astronauts. The supplies today arrived at the ISS. The rocket was was due to take off on Monday, but the launch was scrubbed due to bad weather. The video, taken from a plane on Tuesday, shows the the Falcon 9 booster lowering itself onto the platform, before a gust of wind sways it to one side. On board the Dragon capsule was an experimental espresso machine intended for International Space Station astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy. 'We're very, very happy to have it here,' Cristoforetti radioed to mission controllers in Houston today. The Italians in charge of the project hope to revolutionise coffee-drinking in space. SpaceX, meanwhile, hoped to transform the rocket business by landing the first-stage booster on a platform floating a few hundred miles off Florida's northeastern coast, near Jacksonville. United Launch Alliance has unveiled radical plans to launch a reusable rocket named 'Vulcan' in 2019. Vulcan will use new engines, mid-air recovery and a new upper stage aimed at enabling complex on-orbit manoeuvres. The company appears to have timed the announcement to overshadow SpaceX' launch of Falcon 9, which today hoped to prove that reusable rockets are viable. The aim of both SpaceX and ULA is to end US dependence on Russian-built rocket engines, but the technology has so far proven difficult. ULA's plan is to skip returning the whole booster, an approach favoured by rival SpaceX. It hopes to separate the engines after launch, inflate a heat shield around them and dispatch a helicopter to nab them mid-air. The booster managed to land on the barge but Elon Musk said that 'excess lateral velocity' caused it to tip over. Elon Musk tweeted this image of the booster coming back down to Earth. Musk had put 50-50 odds on the attempt being successful and said that improvements to the design would happen throughout the year. The booster was programmed, following separation 2.5 minutes after liftoff, to flip around and fly to the platform dubbed 'Just Read the Instructions' in the Atlantic ocean. Musk's plan is to reuse his booster rockets rather than discard them as is the custom around the world, to reduce launch costs. First-stage boosters normally just slam into the Atlantic and sink. The booster was programmed, following separation 2.5 minutes after liftoff, to flip around and fly to the platform dubbed 'Just Read the Instructions.' The Dragon — the only supply ship capable of returning items intact — will remain at the space station until around May 21. During a previous landing attempt in January, the rocket ran out of hydraulic fluid for its steering fins, causing it to crash into the platform. A second attempt in February was called off because of high seas, but the rocket successfully ran through its pre-programmed landing sequence and hovered vertically above the waves before splashing down and breaking apart. At liftoff time, the orbiting lab was soaring over Australia. The delivery of food and equipment arrived today. The launch sequence as it happened. All stages of the launch went to plan, except for the landing of the lower part of the rocket. SpaceX once compared it to balancing a broomstick on your hand. Musk recently unveiled the images of the Falcon 9 failed second landing after persuasion on Twitter by the game pioneer behind Doom, John Carmack. The images show the rocket approaching the barge following last month's attempt. After it fails to reduce its speed, the rocket is seen crashing at an angle and exploding. Billionaire Musk described the event simply as a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly'. This is the California-based SpaceX company's seventh station supply run since 2012, all from Cape Canaveral. SpaceX is one of two companies hired by Nasa to fly cargo to the station following the retirement of the space shuttles. As well as a recently extended 15-flight, $2 billion contract with Nasa, SpaceX is working on a passenger version of the Dragon capsule and has dozens of contracts to deliver commercial communications satellites into orbit. The company also is working on a heavy-lift version of the Falcon rocket, which uses 27 engines, compared to the nine currently flying. The Falcon Heavy is expected to make its first test flight late this year. While the booster landing didn't go to plane, the launch was successful. It took place at 4.10 ET from Florida under perfect conditions, after a attempt had to be scrubbed on Monday due to lightning.
| On Tuesday, SpaceX made a third attempt to land booster on a barge. But the booster tipped over after hitting its target and was destroyed. New footage reveals how rocket overcompensated for its extreme tilt. Falcon 9 today reach the ISS with supplies for the astronauts onboard.
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Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat has insisted it was not a difficult decision to include Adam Johnson in his squad for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Stoke. Advocaat has confirmed the 27-year-old midfielder, who was charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one of grooming on Thursday, remains available for selection with the club reviewing the situation. For the time being at least, the Black Cats' position remains unchanged, and that means Johnson, who has been used as a substitute in the last three games, can play on as Sunderland battle relegation. Adam Johnson leaves Peterlee police station on Thursday after being charged. Johnson leaves the Peterlee police station on Thursday after learning of the charges against him. The 27-year-old has not been suspended by his club Sunderland despite the charges. Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat will not bow to pressure by dropping Johnson despite his charges. Asked if it was a difficult situation for a coach, Advocaat replied: 'No, because the club made a statement about it and I stay behind that, and we will wait and see what the future will bring. 'He still has to come in, but in principle if he feels okay, then he will be a member of the squad. If he's in the squad, then I will consider him for selection, otherwise he would not be in the squad.' Johnson has already been the target of unsavoury chants from fans of rival clubs, but Advocaat is confident that will not be an issue during the final weeks of the season. He said: 'No, I don't think so.' Advocaat's comments came after Sunderland released a statement outlining their position on the matter. It said: 'Following yesterday's statement from Durham Constabulary, the club recognises that the formal legal process must take its course and whilst our position remains unchanged, we will keep the matter under review. The club will not be making any further comment.' Johnson is due to appear at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on May 20 - the Black Cats face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium that evening - but in theory, should be available to play in the other five games Sunderland have in which to preserve their top-flight status. Advocaat's side currently sit 16th in the table, but just a point clear of the bottom three, and he has set them a target of at least six points to avoid the drop. Johnson will now appear at Peterlee Magistrates Court on May 20 - the same day Sunderland face Arsenal. Advocaat gives instructions to Sunderland winger Johnson during a Premier League match in March. In the circumstances, he needs all the players he can get, and especially a man who cost £10million when he arrived from Manchester City during the summer of 2012. Johnson's continued presence could prove all the more important after the Dutchman revealed that striker Steven Fletcher travelled to London on Friday to consult a specialist over a troublesome ankle injury. He returned to training under new boss Dick Advocaat and has featured as a substitute in their last three matches, including the 1-0 Tyne-Wear derby victory over Newcastle. Johnson stands accused of three offences of sexual activity with a child, contrary to Section 9 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The offences are said to have taken place between December 30 last year and February 26. He has also been charged with meeting a child following sexual grooming under Section 15 of the same Act. Gerry Wareham, CPS Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North East, said he believes there is a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest for Johnson to be charged. The England international (right) was wearing a black tracksuit as he attended the hearing on Thursday. Johnson was accompanied by his lawyer as the Sunderland winger arrived at the police station on Thursday. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
| Adam Johnson charged with three offences of sexual activity with girl, 15. Winger also facing charge of grooming and has been bailed until May 20. Sunderland decided not to suspend Johnson and he is available to play. READ: Johnson charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child. READ: Johnson's Sunderland future in doubt.
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The last two weeks have showcased all that is best about Lewis Hamilton. He has driven supremely well, gaining the congratulations of the man he hopes to emulate as a triple world champion, Sir Jackie Stewart. But seeing the two men on the podium – one as the winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the other conducting the post-race interviews – was a reminder of what differentiates them as individuals as well as what binds them together as exceptional grand prix drivers. Hamilton could do considerably worse than learn a few things from and about Sir Jackie. Lewis Hamilton is interviewed by three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart after the Bahrain Grand Prix. Hamilton crosses the line in Bahrain ahead of Kimi Raikkonen to claim his third win from four races this term. Lewis probably will not want to hear it, judging by how he has previously dismissed Stewart’s opinions, honestly given when sought as a pundit who speaks with all the authority of the most successful British Formula One driver in history. Hamilton said grouchily, that he was disappointed ex-drivers were not being more supportive, as if blind adoration was his birthright. Here are just a few reasons why Hamilton should listen to Sir Jackie. He drove in an era when a driver racing for five years had a two in three chance of dying. He changed that through tireless campaigning for safety measures to save not only drivers but spectators from preventable injuries. And then there is his charitable work for a children’s club in the east end of London, for mechanics fallen on hard times, and dyslexia societies. There is also his considerable contribution to British industry over more than 40 years. A perfectionist, he will quietly remove a hair of your lapel as he speaks to you. He is not without ego, but conducts himself with decorum. The 30-year-old Briton celebrates his second straight win in Bahrain to extend his lead in the championship. Hamilton finished ahead of Raikkonen (centre) and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in the Gulf Kingdom. I wish Hamilton could show a little bit humility towards the past. That he could see that Formula One history did not start with Ayrton Senna. If he could start to appreciate some of the wider picture he might find himself more widely liked. He might not spray champagne into the face of a girl on the podium as he did in China last week – hardly a hanging offence but, given that she could not respond, an inconsiderate act and an ungallant one. He might not gracelessly sulk, as he did most memorably at Monaco last year to Stewart’s stated chagrin, when he is beaten. He might not be as surly as he can be at press conferences. He might not turn up rudely late to engineering meetings. He might not shun advice freely given by greats of his sport who speak candidly and without malice. Bernie snaps up PR veteran. Bernie Ecclestone is hiring a public relations veteran to help promote Formula One, I can reveal. Norman Howell, a former journalist with the Sunday Times, is expected to return to the job he held a decade ago. Since then Howell’s groaning CV includes spells as publisher of the satirical paddock newspaper Red Bulletin, director of communications at the FIA and, briefly, spokesman for the European division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The FIA under the ultra-shy Jean Todt gave the cultured Howell little freedom to work. It remains to be seen how Ecclestone, a one-man quotes machine, will deploy Howell. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is pictured speaking to Nico Rosberg ahead of Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix. Rajab charged with 'false' claims. The usual, tedious political narrative accompanied the Bahrain Grand Prix. A starring role is always given to Nabeel Rajab. He is blithely hailed in many sections of the media as a human rights campaigner. The complaint is that he has been wrongly arrested by the Bahraini authorities, who are suppressing freedom of speech. But it is worth recording that he has been charged with falsely (according to the government) accusing coalition forces in Yemen – including Bahrain – of promoting ethnic cleansing by targeting women, children and religious structures. He passed off these claims with photographs that were not from Yemen at all, but of dead children in Gaza and a dead baby in Syria, both from last year. I say this to show that neither side in this complex country – not least the feted Rajab, an unlawful activist, who is trying to overthrow the government – has a monopoly on morality.
| Lewis Hamilton roared to victory in Bahrain to extend his lead in title race. It marked the world champion's third victory from four races this season. He was interviewed on the podium by the legendary Sir Jackie Stewart. And Hamilton could do worse than learn a few things from the great Scot.
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Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have been taking advantage of the current Formula One break in different ways this week. While world champion Hamilton appeared to be taking things easy at home, Button has been put through his paces as he prepares for Sunday's London Marathon. After winning the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, 30-year-old Mercedes driver Hamilton took to the water and enjoyed a jet surf session on Tuesday evening. Lewis Hamilton took to the water and enjoyed a jet surf session after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix. Hamilton celebrates winning the Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg (right) Sharing an image of himself on the water via Twitter on Tuesday, Hamilton said: 'Perfect day to be on the water!! Love being home, but the waters still FREEZING!! #JetSurf' Meanwhile, Button, who drives for McLaren, has been training for the Marathon with his wife Jessica Michibata. Posting a selfie of the pair to Instagram on Tuesday, Button said: 'London Marathon training with the missus in Hyde Park. #SunnyLondon'. The 35-year-old also shared an image of the running gear he'll wear on Sunday and said: 'Thanks @ASICSeurope for the bag of goodies for the London Marathon this weekend. #NervousExcitement #geldsracer #thejourneyisthereward' Back in Januray Button revealed he will be running for Cancer Research UK and said on his Facebook page: 'Team JB are running the London Marathon for a great cause... Gonna try and beat my previous time of 2hr58 too'. Former team-mates Hamilton and Button have thee weeks off ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. Jenson Button is training for the London Marathon and went for a run with his wife in Hyde Park on Tuesday. The 35-year-old thanked Asics for the 'goodies' they had sent him ahead of the race in the capital on Sunday.
| Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a jet surf session having won the Bahrain GP. The 30-year-old shared an image of himself on the water on Tuesday. Jenson Button has been training for Sunday's London Marathon. The 35-year-old shared an image of himself training in Hyde Park.
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Wladimir Klitschko will match Joe Louis in boxing's record books with his 27th heavyweight title fight on Saturday and could set more marks since he has no plans to retire anytime soon. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday's fight against American Bryant Jennings at New York's Madison Square Garden, has dominated the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and shown no signs of slowing down. 'As long as I have motivation and health, I'll do it. I don't feel old, or bad, or slow,' said Klitschko, who has 17 successful defenses in a row since winning the crown for the second time in 2006. Veteran heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko (left) speaks to the press ahead of his next fight on Saturday. Klitschko speaks on the podium during the final press conference ahead of his bout with Bryant Jennings. Klitschko shakes hands with Jennings (right) before the two meet at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Klitschko (left) and Jennings (right) square up to one another at the press conference ahead of their fight. 'What could be cooler, or better, than to be the best man on the planet and beating up people for a living?' The 6-foot-6 Ukrainian boasts a 63-3-0 record heading into the bout against Jennings, who is 19-0 since taking up boxing six years ago. But the 30-year-old challenger from Philadelphia is not impressed by Klitschko's accomplishments and plans on starting a new reign. 'My first edge is youth. Youth is always an edge that you can't deny. Speed. Speed is an edge. These are things that are obvious,' said Jennings. And Jennings wasn't alone in trying to bring the Ukrainian down. Maverick heavyweight Shannon Briggs made an appearance at the press conference and taunted Klitschko while taking his shirt off. Despite a three-inch height advantage in Klitschko's favor, Jennings enjoys the same edge in reach, which could help him keep the champion at bay with jabs. Youthful exuberance may go only so far against Klitschko though, who has shown himself a master technician during his long run. Klitschko poses alongside Cecilia Braekhus (right) as the pair show off their title belts on Tuesday night. Former heavyweight Champion Shannon Briggs taunts Klitschko during the press conference on Tuesday. Klitschko, who would also move within one of Larry Holmes's 19 consecutive title defenses with a win - second to the mark of 25 held by Joe Louis -said he was 'allergic' to comparisons with other greats. 'How long I've been champion, how many title defenses I've made ... I don't want to compare myself with any of the great heavyweights,' Klitschko, the 1996 Olympic champion said. 'I'm still looking up to those guys. They are still icons to me.' Jennings believes that age is on his side as he prepares to take on the experienced Klitschko on Saturday. Klitschko shows off his title belts ahead of the clash with Jennings at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Should Klitschko conquer Jennings, other up-and-comers await including Britain's Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, who holds the WBC belt, the only one to elude the Ukrainian. 'I see the change of the generations is slowly coming, because I had all of those guys in my training camp coming up,' Klitschko said. 'They are very competitive, very young, very ambitious, very strong fighters that definitely are going to bring a lot of excitement in the ring.'
| Wladimir Klitschko will match Joe Louis' record of 27 heavyweight bouts. He is set to take on Bryant Jennings at Madison Square Garden. Klitschko has dominated the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and says he is still fighting fit, shrugging off any talk of retirement. Jennings insists he is not intimated by his opponent's record.
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Bayern Munich have an interest in Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic but are unlikely to make a move until January. The 31-year-old Serbia captain has yet to open talks over a new contract at Chelsea and his current deal runs out in 2016. Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic could be targeted by Bayern Munich in the January transfer window. Bayern like Ivanovic but don't expect Chelsea to sell yet they know he will be free to talk to foreign clubs from January. Paris Saint-Germain will make a £7million offer for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech this summer. The 32-year-old is poised to leave Stamford Bridge and wants to play for a Champions League contender. PSG are set to make a £7million bid for Ivanovic's Chelsea team-mate Petr Cech in the summer.
| Branislav Ivanovic's contract at Chelsea expires at the end of next season. 31-year-old has yet to open talks over a new deal at Stamford Bridge. Petr Cech is poised to leave Chelsea at the end of the season.
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Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has revealed he has dreams of winning the Ballon d'Or. Zouma has impressed at the heart of the Chelsea defence this season and proved his versatility by seemlessly switching into a holding midfield role when called upon this term. And while his career remains firmly in its infancy, he hopes he can emulate the likes of his compatriot, World Cup winner Marcel Desailly. Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma (right) has revealed he hopes to one day win the Ballon d'Or. Zouma challenges Marouane Fellaini during Chelsea's 1-0 Premier League win against Manchester United. Speaking to Canal+, he said: 'I think about it. It is a dream for me. I am somebody who dreams. ‘I am often compared with Marcel Desailly, but he, he made a great career. ‘He is a football legend. He did a lot of big games. I have only just arrived on the scene and I have a lot to prove.’ The French defender has been learning his trade alongside Gary Cahill (left) and John Terry (centre) Zouma is hoping to emulate legendary Blues defender and former club captain Marcel Desailly (right) Zouma, 20, joined the Blues in January 2014 after making 73 appearances for Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne. But he claims he has no regrets over leaving his native France so early in his career. He said: 'I do not regret it at all, because it is the club that I always liked. I did not play a lot at the start but now, it is starting to go better and I am very happy.' Zouma and his Chelsea team-mates celebrate their 1-0 Premier League victory against United on Saturday.
| Kurt Zouma reveals he has an ambition to win the Ballon d'Or. Chelsea youngster has had an impressive first season at Stamford Bridge. 20-year-old has been compared to Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly.
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PSV Eindhoven midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has fuelled speculation that he is eyeing a move to the Premier League in the summer. In an interview with Sky Sports, the 24-year-old reveals that he has the ambition to play for a 'great club' in a major European league. Wijnaldum - who has netted 16 goals in all competitions for the Dutch giants this season - has been linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle. PSV captain Georginio Wijnaldum has favourited a tweet linking him with a move to the Premier League. Wijnaldum favourited Sky Sports' tweet that linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle. And it appears that the notion of playing at either Old Trafford, the Emirates or St James' Park appeals to the Holland international as he favourited the Sky Sports' tweet on Wednesday promoting their interview with him. The PSV captain could help his club help end their seven-year wait for the Eredivisie title if they beat Heerenveen at home on Saturday. And while he admits he is happy in Eindhoven, after having spoken to English-based Holland team-mates while on international duty - the lure of playing in the Premier League is a tempting one. 'I am happy at PSV but I am a player with a lot of ambition,' Wijnaldum said. 'I want to play in a stronger league than the Eredivisie. The 24-year-old (right) has scored 16 goals in all competitions for PSV this season from midfield. 'With my quality I feel I can bring a lot to a team that I will join. I want to show it in the big leagues; England, Italy, Spain, Germany and France. 'I speak with Leroy Fer and Tim Krul about England a lot. Tim has been in England since he was 17. He only says good things about England and living in Newcastle. 'The stadium is big with 50,000 people, the fans are great and life is great there. 'You have better players and teams in England and for myself it is better to play in a better league against better players.' Wijnaldum (right) says he speaks to Holland international team-mates Leroy Fer and Tim Krul about England.
| Georginio Wijnaldum is set to guide PSV to their first title in seven years. Dutch giants can win Eredivisie with a win over Heerenveen on Saturday. Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle have been linked with him. Midfielder has scored 16 goals in all competitions for PSV this term.
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Manchester City have decided to listen to offers for Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri this summer as the Barclays Premier League champions look to repair the damage of a disastrous title defence. City manager Manuel Pellegrini is under intense scrutiny following Sunday’s 4-2 defeat by neighbours Manchester United. But as the City board refuse to give up on their manager just yet the decision has been made to jettison high-profile players who the club believe have failed them. Manchester City have decided to listen to offers for Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure this summer. The Premier League champions are also open to allowing Samir Nasri leave the Etihad Stadium. Toure will be made available before his value in the market dwindles. Nasri, meanwhile, has barely played since his lame showing in the Champions League at Barcelona. Defender Aleksandar Kolarov and striker Edin Dzeko are also short of admirers within the club, while midfielder James Milner is out of contract this summer. Toure may be difficult to sell as he earns in excess of £1million a month. Pellegrini is vulnerable but may be saved by a relatively undemanding fixture list up to the end of the season and by the fact that City’s No 1 choice to replace him, Pep Guardiola, is contracted to Bayern Munich for another year. However, City fear captain Vincent Kompany will miss a few weeks of the run-in with a thigh injury.
| Manchester City were beaten 4-2 by their rivals United at Old Trafford. The defending Premier League champions will listen to offers for stars. Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri are allowed to leave the Etihad this summer.
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Ronny Deila insisted on Friday night that Scottish football would benefit if referees gave a public explanation of their decisions after matches. The Celtic manager stressed he still had a positive view of officiating in this country despite the Josh Meekings handball debacle that helped kill his Treble dream last weekend. But Deila has called for similar transparency as in his Norwegian homeland, arguing that referees facing the media would help quell long-running furores and improve relationships. Celtic manager Ronny Deila speaks to the officials after his side's Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Inverness. Celtic wrote to the SFA in the aftermath of last weekend's defeat to Inverness, seeking 'to understand' how Steven McLean and his assistants failed to act on the Meekings incident. 'When my team has a bad performance, I have to stand in front of newspapers and everybody,' said Deila. 'If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad, but I have to stand up to it. 'I can't understand what the problem is with the referees doing it as well. 'They could say: 'I made a bad mistake, I'm so sorry, I'm irritated at myself, I should have done it better, I should learn from this.' What could you say after that? 'It's not important for me to speak with the referee. It's the Press. If the Press has a question for me and I say no comment, it never stops. If I say what I think, then you move on. 'It would be good for referees. We all know they will make mistakes in the future and do good and bad things. Inverness defender Josh Meekings will be allowed to appear in Scottish Cup final after his ban was dismissed. 'We will do the same, but just to be open and honest gets you much more respect. You have to be able to handle it through good times and bad times. 'If they shut themselves away, you don't get answers and that's why we are writing a letter to them just asking what happened. 'If not, we don't need to do that. They tell it to television. What's the problem? More and more in Norway, the referees go to speak to the media after the match.' Speaking in December, Deila said that Scottish referees had been 'fantastic' since he came to Celtic and that he had encountered more problems in European matches. Meekings was not sent off and no penalty was given as Inverness went on to beat Celtic 3-2 after extra-time. 'I haven't changed my mind,' he insisted. 'You see mistakes all over Europe and I think the referees here have been good, I have no problems with that. 'It's just afterwards there are a lot of things. So many meetings, appeals, I can't understand that system. But that's not up to me, it's up to others.' Referees have performances evaluated by assessors but Deila feels it would be better if they came under a more public disciplinary system similar to managers and players. 'I think it is strange that we have to do it and not the referees,' he added. 'We are all one unit – football. 'I think it should be the same rules for everybody. If my players are not performing well then I talk with them. And the solution might be that they are out of the team. 'How do you punish a referee? You could give another referee a chance instead, give someone a break. 'In Norway referees get banned as well. They get told they have to go down to the first division for a couple of matches or have a week off and then come back again. I think that is made public.'
| Josh Meekings got away with a deliberate handball against Celtic. Celtic went on to lose their Scottish Cup semi-final clash 3-2 to Inverness. Celtic wrote to the SFA in the aftermath of last weekend's defeat. The club sought 'to understand' how Steven McLean and his assistants failed to act on the Meekings incident.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has been suspended without pay for 10 games for conduct detrimental to the National Football League. The decision to ban Hardy, who last played for the Carolina Panthers, followed a two-month NFL investigation that started after the dismissal of his domestic violence case in February. Hardy was informed in a letter by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that the probe determined there was 'sufficient credible evidence that Hardy engaged in conduct that violated NFL policies in multiple respects.' Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has been suspended without pay for 10 games. Domestic violence charges against Hardy, who signed with Dallas last month, were abruptly dropped in February after his accuser could not be found to testify. The jury trial for Hardy had been set to begin in Charlotte after he was accused of assaulting his former girlfriend, Nicole Holder, and threatening to kill her. The league's probe, which involved numerous interviews with witnesses and experts, concluded that Hardy violated the NFL's personal conduct policy by using physical force against Holder in at least four instances. 'The net effect of these acts was that Ms. Holder was severely traumatized and sustained a range of injuries, including bruises and scratches on her neck, shoulders, upper chest, back, arms and feet,' Goodell wrote. 'The use of physical force under the circumstances present here, against a woman substantially smaller than you and in the presence of powerful, military-style assault weapons, constitutes a significant act of violence in violation of the Personal Conduct Policy.' Hardy arrives at Mecklenburg County jail on the first day of his domestic violence appeal trail. Hardy, a 2013 Pro Bowler who played only one game for the Panthers before being suspended last season, was accused of assaulting Holder last May, sending her to the hospital emergency room. The five-year NFL veteran was found guilty by a district court judge in July but appealed the verdict and was allowed to have a jury trial. Prosecutors said when Holder last spoke with them in November, she told them that she 'did not want to participate in another trial.' Holder had already reached a civil settlement with Hardy, prosecutors said. Hardy may appeal the NFL's decision within three days. 'You must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit any additional violations of league policies,' Goodell wrote. 'In that respect, you should understand that another violation of this nature may result in your banishment from the NFL.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
| Greg Hardy's league ban to begin on September 5. Hardy signed with the Dallas Cowboys in March. Hardy was arrested and charged in May last year with assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend. The case was dismissed in court in February after a lack of co-operation from the accuser.
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Adrian Peterson is to meet with the NFL to discuss his reinstatement. The Minnesota Vikings running back played once last season before being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt list due to a child abuse case. The 30-year-old was was due to be reinstated on April 15, but according to NFL media insider Ian Rapoport, Peterson will meet with the NFL this week. Peterson's situation is far from clear, with the 2012 MVP telling ESPN he was 'uneasy' about returning to the franchise. Adrian Peterson has plenty to chew over but the Minnesota Vikings do not want to trade their star back. It has been a turbulent seven months for Peterson, who has been linked with the Cowboys and Cardinals. His main bone of contention is said to be with chief operating officer Kevin Warren, whom the Peterson camp claims attempted to keep him off the field last year. The Vikings start offseason workouts in a fortnight and head coach Mike Zimmer has repeatedly spoken of his desire for Peterson to stay. 'I'm not going to speculate on what he wants or doesn't want,' Zimmer said last month. 'Adrian's under contract for three more years with us, and that's why you sign those contracts. That's why you get these big bonuses, you know?' 'We have no plans to trade Adrian,' he said, definitively. Peterson is under contract for 2015, and is set to earn a base salary of $12.75million from the Vikings. The Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals are repeatedly linked as potential landing spots and when his status is settled, it will be one step nearer to finding out where his future lies.
| Peterson has been banned since September 17 after child abuse case involving his four-year-old son and a switch. He played just one game for the Vikings last year and was due to be reinstated on April 15. But the NFL have moved that date forward and the 2012 running back will know more about his future. The Vikings have repeatedly said they want to keep the 30-year-old, who is due to earn $12.75m this year. But the Cowboys and the Cardinals have been linked with Peterson, and the former have made some intriguing roster moves to free up cap space.
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Luke Rockhold is ready to be the bull to Lyoto Machida's matador when the middleweights collide in New Jersey on Saturday. The Californian is bidding for his fourth consecutive victory since losing to Vitor Belfort two years ago and has a title shot in his sights. And he knows exactly what it will take to beat Machida. Lyoto Machida (left) and Luke Rockhold face off ahead of their middleweight clash this weekend. 'A big set of balls. I've just got to come forward and go out there and dominate him,' he said. 'Machida likes to run around and dance and do his thing. I've just got to cut him off, slowly progress and be the bull. He tries to be the matador – sometimes you've got to play one role or the other and this is the time to be the bull and slowly progress, put him in a bad spot and make him fight my fight. 'I've seen little things that he doesn't like – there's plenty of other fights too that I've seen that show a lot of holes and areas where I can take advantage of. 'You see fights where guys stand in the middle ground too long – I've just got to make him think about everything. I'm a true mixed martial artist; I have everything to my game. He's got to think about me taking him down, and then my kicks and my punches and everything that I bring to the table. 'Machida has got a very small avenue to win this fight on the feet. Other than that, my avenue is quite big comparably to his.. He doesn't really have much of a chance on the ground. Rockhold performs during an open workout as he bids to extend his winning streak to five. Machida lands a side kick as he works out in front of fans and media. 'I'll be operating at a different frequency than him – he doesn't have the hip movement and the speed to keep up with me.' And while Rockhold afforded Machida his respect, he has no plans to let it get in the way of victory. 'I think there is a mutual respect between Machida and me – I respect what he does,' he said. 'He's one of the best in the game and has been for a long, long time. 'He's right here at the top, where he's been for the whole of his career. He's a martial artist – he lives by the code. A lot of people love his fighting style, a lot of people hate his fighting style, but you have to respect his fighting style . 'I respect what he does and I like a lot of the things he does. But at the same time, I'm going to go out there and show him my style and dominate. 'I've been running marathons every day so I'm ready to go in there and chase him down.' Rockhold's last victory came against Michael Bisping last November in Australia. Machida is also coming off the back of a victory, against CB Dollaway in Brazil. Machida, meanwhile, is confident he can upset Rockhold and earn himself a title shot. 'I think if I apply my style, my technique, I can stop Luke, you know,' he said. 'If I can do my strategy, I can win the fight. 'I know there was another fight in line for the title shot - Jacare vs Yoel Romero – but now, whoever wins out of me and Luke – deserves a title shot I think. 'I can see a couple of weaknesses in Luke but it's hard to say before the fight, it's hard to foresee the fight. I have to be there to feel the fight- to see any mistakes he makes. 'I am very well prepared for this fight. I had eight weeks of camp and I had great training. Glover [Teixeira] was there and many, many other fighters. So I am feeling very well, very calm, and I think I can do a great job.'
| Luke Rockhold takes on Lyoto Machida in New Jersey on Saturday. The middleweights will hope the winner will earn a title shot. Rockhold believes he has to dominate Machida to earn the win.
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Paula Creamer has called for a Masters tournament for women at Augusta National. Creamer, who won the 2010 women's US Open, first floated the idea on Twitter following Jordan Spieth's stunning victory at the Masters on April 14 stating: 'I hope The Masters will consider a Women's Masters soon. They do so much to grow the game. Fastest area of golf growth is women! #6Majors?' In the lead up to this week's Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in northern California, Creamer suggested a women's event could be staged the week following the men's showpiece in April. Paula Creamer plays her third shot on the 14th hole during the LPGA LOTTE Championship on April 17. 'I think the patrons and everybody would love to have two weeks there, two tournaments. Why wouldn't you?,' Creamer said. 'It's 2015. I think Augusta and the Masters and everybody with that event, they want to grow the game so badly. 'That's what it is, about growing the game and giving people opportunities. There's no reason why we can't do that in women's golf. We're just as much a part of growing the game.'' Creamer continued: 'There's no reason why you can't revisit things. I think somebody's got to speak up and somebody's got to say something. 'It's an idea, I don't think that people should be ashamed to talk about it. I'd like to know truthfully why we wouldn't be able to have a tournament there. Definitely women's golf deserves something like that.'' World No 27 Creamer hits a tee shot on the 13th hole at Ko Olina Golf Club on April 15.
| Paula Creamer won the 2010 women's US Open. Creamer suggested a women's event could be staged the week following the men's showpiece in April. Jordan Spieth stormed to his first Masters title earlier this month.
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Jordan Spieth's first outing after winning the Masters did not go according to plan as he finished the first round of the RBC Heritage on three over par. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a whirlwind few days since dominating in Augusta to win by four shots from Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson, but that rollercoaster ride interrupted his preparations here as he did not play a practice round and he looked tired as he struggled in difficult conditions in South Carolina. Jordan Spieth looked tired as he struggled in difficult conditions in South Carolina. In cold temperatures and with strong northerly winds, Spieth three-putted the sixth to drop his first shot of the day and looked lethargic as he missed birdie opportunities on the ninth and 10th greens. He dropped another shot on the 11th and on the par-three 14th he sent his tee shot straight into the water, setting up a double bogey that put him four over par. He pulled one back with a birdie on the par-five 15th, but nevertheless finished well off the pace with three-over 74 even as the conditions kept the scoring under control. The Masters champion finished well off the pace by carding a three-over-par 74. After his round, Spieth told Sky Sports 4 he had no idea how many interviews and appearances he has made since Sunday. 'I've lost track,' he said. 'Just getting to experience all these incredible things, whether it's a business interview, a sports interview, appearing on Letterman (The David Letterman Show), meeting President Clinton, a lot took place and it's almost sad to leave. 'There were so many great experiences you'd like to have each of those each day, to have them all in one is almost a shame, but it's good sharing my story, sharing our story, getting our brand out there.' Spieth admitted lack of preparation affected his first round in South Carolina. Unless he has something very special up his sleeve for Friday, Spieth appears set for a much-needed weekend off. Matt Every and Graeme McDowell shared the lead on five under after the first round at Hilton Head. In difficult conditions, with strong winds and a distinct chill in South Carolina, birdies were hard to come by but Every carded six before a bogey on the 18th, while McDowell matched him only in reverse after bogeying the first. Given the way the course was playing, staying at the top of the leaderboard was as much about survival as anything. 'I was greasy today,' Every said on the PGA Tour website. 'It wasn't my best ball striking, it wasn't easy out there, but I got the best out of it. Graeme McDowell shared the lead on five under with Matt Every after the first round. 'It was blowing. Back in the trees, when it's coming from the north and banking off the trees going the other way, it's dicey, but for the most part I did a good job.' Sangmoon Bae is alone in third place, one shot back, ahead of a five-way tie for fourth which includes Kevin Kisner, Scott Langley, Morgan Hoffman, Matt Kuchar and Cameron Smith. Smith could have been much better placed but for a bogey on the third and a double bogey on the seventh, where his tee shot put him in the trees and he faced a long road back. He had earlier carded five birdies in six holes between the second and seventh holes.
| Jordan Spieth struggled on his return to action following Augusta triumph. The 21-year-old carded three-over-par 74 in first round at the RBC Heritage. He finished eight shots behind leaders Matt Every and Graeme McDowell.
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U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic was eliminated in the second round of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday, losing to Victor Estrella of the Dominican Republic 6-4, 6-4. Also, Santiago Giraldo of Colombia beat Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, to reach a third-round meeting against top-seeded Kei Nishikori, setting up a rematch of last year's final won by the Japanese. Estrella broke Cilic four times on the outdoor red clay, stealing his serve to go ahead 5-4 in the second set, and finishing off the ninth-ranked Croat by holding serve to love. Victor Estrella of the Dominican Republic recorded a 6-4 6-4 victory over Main Cilic at the Barcelona Open. Cilic is the 2014 U.S. Open champion but is struggling for fitness and form after a shoulder injury. Estrella, who had won only one match in his last five tournaments, celebrated after placing a long forehand out of Cilic's reach on match point. It was only Cilic's third tournament of the season after he rested to recover from a shoulder injury. As the fourth seed, he had a bye in the first round. 'I was not too happy with the way I played,' Cilic said. 'I made a lot of unforced errors. I feel I still need several matches to get my form to a good stage.' Estrella, ranked 53rd, last year became the first Dominican to finish a season in the top 100. On court No. 1, Pablo Andujar of Spain roared back to oust 11th-seeded Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
| Marin Cilic defeated 6-4 6-4 by Victor Estrella in the Barcelona Open. The U.S. Open champion is struggling for form after a shoulder injury. Cilic said he needs more matches to get his game up to scratch.
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Jenson Button was denied his 100th race for McLaren after an Energy Recovery System prevented him from making it to the start-line. It capped a miserable weekend for the Briton; his time in Bahrain plagued by reliability issues. Button spent much of the race on Twitter delivering his verdict as the action unfolded. 'Kimi is the man to watch,’ and ‘loving the sparks’, were among his pearls of wisdom, but the tweet which courted the most attention was a rather mischievous one: ‘Ooh is Lewis backing his team mate into Vettel?’ he quizzed after Rosberg accused Hamilton of pulling off such a manoeuvre in China. Jenson Button waves to the crowd ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix which he failed to start. Perhaps a career in the media beckons…. Lewis Hamilton has out-qualified and finished ahead of Nico Rosberg at every race this season. Indeed Rosberg has now beaten his Mercedes team-mate only once in the 11 races since the pair infamously collided in Belgium last year. Hamilton secured the 36th win of his career in Bahrain and his 21st from pole position. Only Michael Schumacher (40), Ayrton Senna (29) and Sebastian Vettel (27) have more. He also became only the sixth F1 driver to lead 2,000 laps. Nico Rosberg has been left in the shade by Lewis Hamilton who celebrates winning his third race of the year. Kimi Raikkonen secured a record seventh podium finish in Bahrain following his superb late salvo, although the Ferrari driver has never won in the Gulf Kingdom. It was the Finn’s first trip to the rostrum since the 2013 Korean Grand Prix, but his triumph brought a typically deadpan response: ‘You're never happy when you finish second… I'm a bit pleased to get a result.’ Sparks fly off the back of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari en route to finishing second in Bahrain. Bernie Ecclestone was in the Bahrain paddock this weekend. He denied trying to engineer a deal for Hamilton, out of contract at the end of the season, to join Ferrari despite earlier insisting that such a move would be ‘great’ for the sport. The 84-year-old also confirmed that F1 would be in Azerbaijan for the first time next year, even with concerns surrounding the country’s human rights record. ‘I think everybody seems to be happy,’ Ecclestone said. ‘There doesn't seem to be any big problem there. There's no question of it not being on the calendar. It's going to be another good race.’ Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone speaks to Nico Rosberg ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
| Jenson Button denied 100th race start for McLaren after ERS failure. Button then spent much of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Twitter delivering his verdict on the action as it unfolded. Lewis Hamilton has out-qualified and finished ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg at every race this season. Bernie Ecclestone confirms F1 will make its bow in Azerbaijan next season.
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Irish jockey Davy Condon has been forced to retire from the saddle due to a spinal injury sustained in the Grand National earlier this month. Condon was riding Portrait King in the Grand National at Aintree when he fell at the third-last, leaving him with a spinal concussion. It was the second time within a year that the rider suffered a similar injury. Jockey Davy Condon suffered spinal concussion in a fall at Aintree during the Grand National this month. Condon had resigned himself to the fact he would be out of action for a lengthy period of time but after seeing a specialist on Wednesday he has been advised to call time on his career. Dr Adrian McGoldrick, chief medical officer of the Irish Turf Club issued a statement on behalf of Condon which read: 'Davy Condon suffered a spinal injury in a fall during the Grand National at Aintree. 'This was on the background of a previous spinal concussion from which he had recovered fully and had been passed fit to ride by our consultant neurologist. 'Davy was reviewed yesterday (Wednesday) by Dr Brian Murray, Consultant Neurologist, on behalf of the Turf Club. Condon. Condon (right) was advised to retire after suffering a second spinal injury within a year. 'Dr Murray has recommended that Davy retire from horse riding, be it professional or recreational, due to the risk of further spinal injury. 'Davy has been referred by Dr Murray for a neurosurgical opinion as he has an ongoing disc lesion in his neck. 'Davy has fully accepted the medical advice and will be liaising with the Irish Jockeys' Trust with a view to future career options.' It is the second bad injury to an Irish jockey this month. Colleague Robbie MacNamara, who was due to ride in the Grand National, is currently recovering from life-threatening injuries he sustained in a fall 24 hours before the race which have currently left him with no feeling in his legs.
| Davy Condon has been forced to retire due to a spinal injury. The Irish jockey fell during this month's Grand National at Aintree. Condon was advised to retire after seeing a specialist on Wednesday.
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Saracens No 8 Billy Vunipola, Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage and Clermont full back Nick Abendanon have all been shortlisted for the European Player of the Year award following their superb performances in this season's European Champions Cup. Vunipola starred for Mark McCall's side throughout the pool stages and was named man-of-the-match following his side's 33-10 demolition of Munster in round five. Armitage, who was named European Player of the Year last season, has made the most turnovers (19) during this season's tournament. Saracens No 8 Billy Vunipola is tackled by Julien Bardy during his side's 13-9 defeat by Clermont. Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage is stopped in his tracks by Leinster loosehead Cian Healy. Billy Vunipola (Saracens) Steffon Armitage (Toulon) Fritz Lee (Clermont) Jamie Heaslip (Leinster) Nick Abendanon (Clermont) The Toulon back rower was named on the bench for last Sunday's quarter-final against Leinster. Armitage, however, made a huge contribution when he replaced Juan Smith in the 35th minute as Bernard Larporte's side secured their place in this year's final. Former Bath full back Abendanon has been rewarded for his stellar form with Les Jaunards during the current campaign. The English trio are joined on the shortlist by Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip and Clermont No 8 Fritz Lee. Clermont full back Nick Abendanon has his progress halted by Saracens centre Brad Barritt.
| Steffon Armitage was named European Player of the Year last season. Billy Vunipola was superb for Saracens during his season's tournament. Nick Abendanon has starred for 2015 finalists Clermont.
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Alastair Cook hung his head in disbelief after wasting a golden opportunity to end his long wait for a century before the man who seems destined to succeed him as England captain showed how to do it. There was agony for Cook on the third day of the second Test as he again fell short of the magic three figures despite looking as solid and unflustered at the crease as at any time in the two years since his last century. But the problems Cook had in finding fluency in his 211-ball 76 were put into stark perspective by yet another display of the rare class and maturity that has made Joe Root England’s outstanding batsman. Joe Root celebrates his century and is 118 not out at stumps on day three of the second Test against the West Indies. England's Root smashes a short ball to the boundary as West Indies keeper and captain Denesh Ramdin can only watch on. Root plays confidently off the back foot through the offside during a commanding innings once he got his chance on day three. Root and Gary Ballance run between wickets as they easily work the West Indian bowling around on a hot day in Grenada. Ben Stokes is giving a salute send-off by his West Indian rival Marlon Samuels after holing out for eight runs. This has been another slow, attritional Test in conditions that are hardly conducive to entertaining cricket. Yet as soon as Root took guard, batting at Grenada’s National Stadium was suddenly taken to another level. There were no problems for the Yorkshireman in reaching three figures — his sixth Test century and his first overseas — and his average has now reached a hundred since his return to the England team last summer. Here he took advantage of the solid platform that had been painstakingly laid by Cook and Jonathan Trott to give England a chance of going on to the sort of total that could put pressure on West Indies on the final day. Only a late burst of madness which saw Moeen Ali run himself out and Ben Stokes hit a Devendra Bishoo long-hop straight down deep square leg’s throat spoilt England’s day. They ended on 373 for six, a lead of 74, and Root and Jos Buttler will have to stick around for as long as possible on Friday if England are going to dictate terms. England captain Alastair Cook hits through the offside as he enjoys some width on day three of the second Test against the West Indies. Jonathan Trott cuts before the ball can reach Windies captain Ramdin's gloves on his way to 59 runs in the first innings. Cook congratulates Trott on his first Test half-century since returning to the England line-up in the morning session on Thursday. Trott plays the spinner behind point at the National Cricket Stadium in St George's, Grenada, on St George's Day. Opener Trott ducks a bouncer but leaves his bat hanging in the air from paceman Shannon Gabriel. Jermaine Blackwood clutches onto an edge from Trott off the bowling of Devendra Bishoo to end the opener's innings. Trott appears disappointed after the conditions appeared to favour the batsmen after they'd done the hard work early on. Root ’s fastest hundred for England, coming from 125 balls and including 13 fours, two sixes. This is his sixth Test century for his country. First 100 scored overseas. His previous high was 87 in Adelaide against Australia in 2013. In the past year he has scored four Test centuries. Root is the fifth England batsman to score six consecutive 50s in Test innings. Since June 2014 he has scored 1,037 runs, averaging 103.7. Root has featured in five of England’s past six Test partnerships of 150-plus runs. Alastair Cook has gone 34 innings and 697 days without a Test ton. Root said: ‘We had a blip towards the end but there is still plenty of batting left in that dressing room and fingers crossed we can kick on. Build a partnership with Jos tomorrow morning and hopefully we get a big score and only have to bat once. ‘My movements are very good at the minute. You go through blips in your career and the key now for me is to score as many as I can while I have this going for me.’ While Root was the star of the day, this was hardly a failure for an England captain who has now made four scores of 70-plus in his last seven Test innings, but Cook would have given anything to have been able to add those extra, elusive 24 runs. The brutal reality is that only Mike Brearley among England captains and opening batsmen has gone longer without a hundred than Cook’s 34 innings and he had the advantage of being considered the best leader of them all. It is now 697 days since Cook made the last of his record 25 Test centuries, at Headingley against New Zealand way back in 2013 when everything seemed well with the world of England and their captain. Here Cook and Trott recorded England’s first century opening partnership for 31 innings as England went about their quest for a decisive lead in workmanlike fashion on a slow pitch and an even slower outfield. The second-slowest half-century of Trott’s career, which was reached off 137 balls, was also one of the most important for a man who was in almost as great a need of runs as Cook after his double failure in Antigua. If Trott’s wicket came almost out of the blue when he drove the leg-spin of Bishoo to second slip then Cook seemed sure to make this the day when he finally threw off any doubts about him at the helm for another Ashes. Not only had he been dropped on 29 on the second evening but he survived an lbw shout on 65 on Thursday by a whisker when the deserving Bishoo saw his review of Steve Davis’ not out decision deemed umpire’s call. Just when Cook was looking at his best after lunch, Shannon Gabriel went round the wicket, bowled short and wide and somehow forced Cook to inside edge an attempted cut into his stumps. He stood for a moment, hunched over his bat, before trudging off with a score worth perhaps 20 more because of the slowness of the outfield but one that to Cook will seem not nearly enough. Trott summed up the mood of frustration, saying: ‘Alastair and I were really pleased to put on a good start but you don’t spend all those hours in the nets to get fifties, you go there to get match-defining hundreds.’ When Ian Bell also chopped on to Gabriel, a sure sign of a slow surface, West Indies were back in the match and England’s nerves were starting to fray. Yet that was to underestimate the extraordinary potential of the two exciting and prolific young Yorkshire batsmen in England’s middle order. The lack of touch and confidence that Gary Ballance displayed in the World Cup now looks light years away as he has returned to the Test form that made him the ICC’s emerging player of 2014. Ballance made 122 in Antigua and carried on here, bringing an urgency to England’s innings that was lacking when they managed just 69 runs in an extended morning session. Cook stands and waits for the result of a West Indies decision review after an LBW appeal was judged not out by the on-field umpire. Cook is lucky the umpire gave him not out initially after the ball pitched outside off and hit in line but was only just clipping the stumps. Cook hits aggressively behind square as Blackwood braces himself at the National Cricket Stadium. Cook checks on the welfare of Blackwood after his well-hit pull shot struck the close-in fielder. West Indies bowler Gabriel is a blur as he comes into his delivery stride on day three of the second Test. Cook's off stump is rattled and the bails fly off after a wide delivery from Gabriel found the skipper's inside edge. Gabriel and his team-mates celebrate as Cook leans on his bat in disappointment after being dismissed for 76. Cook trudges off the field after a solid innings that ultimately fell short of an elusive hundred for the left-handed opener. But if Ballance was busy then Root roistered along, reaching 50 off 69 balls and 100 off 125. He has been a class apart almost from the moment England recalled him, after leaving him out of the last Test of their Ashes humiliation, and restored him to the middle order where he belongs. This was his England record-equalling sixth successive Test score of 50 or more, a landmark shared with Patsy Hendren, Ted Dexter, Ken Barrington and Cook himself. No Englishman has ever made seven in succession. At least not until Root bats again. Together, Root and Ballance took England beyond West Indies’ score after tea and added 165 before Marlon Samuels found a way through Ballance. The late flurry of activity, culminating in Stokes being given a salute as a send-off by his bete noire Samuels, reduced England’s chances of going to Barbados next week one up. But while there is Root, there is hope. A second drag-on for the St George's Day play came for England No 4 Ian Bell, who also cut Gabriel onto his off stump. An annoyed Bell has to make the long walk back to the pavilion after being dismissed for a disappointing one run. Bell inspects the inside edge that orchestrated his downfall in the first innings here after bringing strong form into the match. Root came out firing and punished any short deliveries, needing no second invitation to dispatch Bishoo to the boundary. Onside or offside, it didn't matter for Root as he raced past his half-century, taking full advantage of a tiring bowling attack. Ballance hits the spinner through the offside as he too made the West Indies pay for wayward bowling. Ballance raises his cherry-covered bat after reaching his half-century, following up his second-innings 122 in the first Test. Root and Ballance touch fists as they leave the field with their wickets in tact for the tea interval. Ballance can hardly believe it as he is bowled by a looping delivery from makeshift spinner Marlon Samuels. Ballance looks up in disbelief after his excellent innings comes to an end on 77 runs from 188 deliveries. Moeen Ali fails to get off the mark as he takes off for a single but is rightly sent back by Joe Root. Ramdin completed the run-out after the throw from Blackwood as Ali's first innings back in the England line-up ends with a duck. Ben Stokes doesn't get a full piece of an innocuous delivery from Bishoo and skies his shot into the outfield. Stokes looks on in hope as his shot floats into the safe hands of Blackwood, who took his second catch of the day. After the pair clashed in West Indies first innings while Samuels batted, the all-rounder stood a saluted as Stokes left the field. Stokes looks at Samuels as the cheeky centurion stands at attention with his hat on his check for the send-off.
| England are 373 for six at stumps on day three, 74 runs ahead of the West Indies first innings of 299. Alastair Cook (76) and Jonathan Trott (59) put on an opening stand of 125 but couldn't reach their centuries. No 5 Joe Root was outstanding reaching a century at a strike rate of 80 and was 118 not out at stumps. Root's half-century gave him an England record-equalling sixth Test score of 50 or more - no-one has seven. Gary Ballance was out softly for 77 after Ian Bell played on for one. Moeen Ali ran himself out for a duck.
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Judd Trump was in confident mood after safely moving through to the second round of the Betfred World Championship in Sheffield. Trump led 7-2 overnight and many thought he would make light work of Stuart Carrington but he was made to battle before eventually securing a 10-6 victory. The 25-year-old closed with a century and will now face Marco Fu in the next round. Judd Trump beat Stuart Carrington 10-6 on Thursday in the first round of the World Championship. 'I'm just going to focus on my own game,' he told BBC Two. 'If I play how I know I can, I'll win it.' A re-rack was required in the 10th frame but that did not distract Carrington who produced a break of 97 to reduce the gap to four. Trump took the next with a streak of 74 but a 74 of his own from Carrington followed by a run of 70 in the next meant it was 8-5 at the interval. Carrington got amongst the balls after the interval but was halted at 24 and Trump swept in with a 76 to move within one frame of victory. Grimsby potter Carrington showed his mettle, though, with a 99 in the next before a closing 109 from Trump put an end to his campaign. And the 2011 finalist was quick to praise his opponent, who was making his Crucible debut. Trump (pictured) led 7-2 from Wednesday and got the job done despite a good display by Carrington. 'He played really well considering it's his first time here,' he said. 'Second session he hardly missed a ball. He probably won't take as much credit as he would if it was a top player making those breaks. 'He played as good as anyone I've seen first time here.' Trump is one of the crowd favourites wherever he plays and admits there is a weight of expectation on him this year. 'There's obviously a lot of anticipation this year,' he added. 'My results have shown that I'm playing some good stuff, I felt like I played well over the past two days. 'There's obviously a few things I need to work on but other than that I feel very confident. 'It was nice for Stuart to play as he did, it just shows there is always stuff to work on and you won't get many sessions where someone plays that well.' After being five frames behind, Carrington closed the gap to three before Trump earned the victory. At the press conference following his win, Trump was asked about the footwear problems encountered by long-time rival Ronnie O'Sullivan, whose 10-3 victory over Craig Steadman required a change of shoes. Having started Tuesday's match in a new pair of shoes, O'Sullivan discarded them due to the acute discomfort they were causing him; he briefly played in socks before accepting tournament director Mike Ganley's shoes which 'felt great' to him. Of the incident, Trump said: 'I didn't really see it but I heard about it. Obviously, he likes attention. I don't know if he's done it on purpose or not, who knows?' As to the overall favourite for the World Championship, Trump was quick to divert attention away from O'Sullivan, adding: 'In my eyes, I think Neil's (Robertson) probably the underdog,. Ronnie O'Sullivan was forced into borrowing a pair of shoes from tournament director Mike Ganley. 'I think Neil's favourite to win the tournament. Neil and Mark (Selby) are going to be the toughest two. Ronnie is obviously a good player but I'm confident of beating anyone.' On the other table, defending champion Mark Selby was locked in a tough battle with Anthony McGill in the opening second round match. Selby, who needed to scrap for a 10-9 win over Kurt Maflin in the first round, got off to a slow start as he surrendered the first two frames. The first was a scrappy encounter but a break of 63 sealed the second for McGill before runs of 51 and 46 saw Selby on the board. The Leicester cueman then levelled things up at the mid-session interval with a 65 and an 87 at the third time of asking saw him edge ahead. Defending champion Mark Selby closed the session at 4-4 with Anthony McGill in their second round match. McGill was not daunted, though, and breaks of 74 and 73 in the next two saw him take a 4-3 lead before Selby drew level again to end the session at 4-4. Shaun Murphy, the 2005 world champion and current Masters title holder, conceded just the one additional frame to his overnight lead of 7-2 as he wrapped up a 10-3 win over Robin Hull. Murphy's first frame on Thursday was a tight affair at 56-55 and he went on to win the next 64-33. Finland's Hull was able to pick up frame 12 but Murphy's wrapped up the contest with a break of 111. It sealed his passage to the second round where he will meet Joe Perry, who had beaten Zhang Anda 10-4. Shaun Murphy wrapped up victory against Finland's Robin Hull with a 10-3 win on Thursday. Ding Junhui has a chance of progressing past John Higgins after his break of 94 sealed frame eight to leave the Chinese 5-3 down going into Friday's session. Higgins had picked up back-to-back frames at the start without much fuss, including 81 on the first, though Ding's class showed in a 135 break in the third. Four-time World Championship winner Higgins then threatened to walk away with the match by winning three frames on the bounce, starting with 116-6 in the fourth and going on to lead 5-1. However, Ding fought back in the closing stages to narrow the deficit, though he did miss out on a second century break of the match after failing to pot the black, on what was to prove the last shot of the day.
| Judd Trump beat Stuart Carrington 10-6 in the first round at the Cucible. Trump led 7-2 overnight but made hard work in finishing Carrington off. The 25-year-old will face Marco Fu in second round of World Championship.
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Arsene Wenger wants Cesc Fabregas to be shown the ‘respect he deserves’ when he returns to the Emirates Stadium in the blue of Chelsea on Sunday. The problem with that is a decent chunk of Arsenal’s supporters feel he doesn’t deserve much. That became obvious on Thursday, when one prominent fan called for the removal of a Fabregas banner from the Ken Friar Bridge. Cesc Fabregas returns to Arsenal on Sunday and Arsene Wenger hopes fans will give him a good reception. Wenger wants 'respect' for the club's former players and counts Fabregas as a man who deserves that. Gunners fans offer their good luck to Fabregas in 2011, but the reception is likely to be more frosty this time. Extreme, perhaps, but this is an emotive issue which continues to bubble away at the club where Fabregas built his career, not least because the circumstances behind his summer move from Barcelona to Chelsea are still as clear as mud. Any clarity, it seems, will have to wait. Wenger was at his cryptic best on Thursday when asked if it was his call to not take up an option he had to re-sign the player, saying: ‘We will have to discuss that one day. With all the terms.’ When pressed on whether it was his decision, he added: ‘It’s not as clean as that. I cannot speak to you about that now because that will not help us to win on Sunday.’ At that point it was suggested to Wenger that Fabregas chose not to come back and Wenger said: ‘I don’t know, I don’t know.’ The Frenchman has previously claimed that by the time he knew Fabregas was available, a deal with Chelsea was virtually concluded — comments which jarred a little with the Spaniard’s statement last summer that Arsenal ‘decided not to take’ their option. Whatever, it would be ambitious for Fabregas to expect an overwhelmingly positive reception on Sunday. The midfielder set up Diego Costa to seal a 2-0 victory for Chelsea against Arsenal earlier this season. Certainly, there was already a degree of disappointment within the club about how their relationship with the player ended when he left in 2011. But Wenger said: ‘I want every player to be respected, and Cesc Fabregas when he comes to the Emirates on Sunday, (I want him) to be respected like he deserves.’ Wenger added: ‘The regret I have is that he wanted to leave here. This club and myself had a very positive influence on Cesc’s life, so I would be a bit uncomfortable to have to justify today why he is not here.’ When he returns, it will be as a key part of the champions-elect and under a manager in Jose Mourinho who has won seven and drawn five of his 12 meetings with Wenger. That clash, in itself, is a fascinating sub-plot to this fixture between the top and second-placed teams in the Barclays Premier League. Fabregas gets ahead of his now-team-mate Branislav Ivanovic to score against Chelsea for Arsenal in 2010. Playing down his poor record against Mourinho, Wenger said: ‘We have not always lost, first of all, in 12 attempts. ‘We have come close to beating them and they’ve always had very strong teams. Having said all of that, the result on Sunday will be just down to the performance on the day. It’s not a confrontation (with Mourinho), it’s a confrontation of two teams. I’m not a great believer in history. I just think football is down to the fact the performance on the day will decide the game and the result.’ With seven straight league wins, Arsenal approach the fixture at speed, but Wenger accepts it is unlikely Chelsea will lose a 10-point advantage on the run-in. He said: ‘We dropped points at the start of the season but since January we have been top of the (form) table. We want to continue to win and strengthen our position in second place because that’s far from being done. 'Now what we can do is get closer to them and we have that opportunity. It still means even if we beat them, mathematically they are still in a very strong position. But you never know.’
| Arsenal face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Cesc Fabregas makes his first return to his former club in the clash. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants fans to respect ex-players. The Gunners had the chance to re-sign Fabregas but he went to Chelsea. Wenger refuses to say if he regrets that but admits he wishes he never left. READ: Arsenal can beat Chelsea, says Arsene Wenger. Arsenal vs Chelsea special: Cesc Fabregas makes Emirates return.
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Steve Bruce is adamant he can keep Hull City in the Barclays Premier League after a 2-0 defeat by Southampton left them battling to stay up. At the start of the campaign Bruce was targeting 10 wins to survive, but despite a strong start his Hull side have mustered just six and he is hoping 'nine or eight might be enough.' Hull were the better side against Southampton for the first 45 minutes but a James Ward-Prowse penalty and late strike from Graziano Pelle meant they left with nothing. Steve Bruce is confident he can keep Hull City in the Premier League this season and avoid relegation. They now have six games to save their season including nightmare fixtures against Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United. But Bruce insisted: 'Everyone is up for the challenge and I'm sure and convinced that we'll do it. If we keep remaining positive I'm convinced we can take a couple of results which will take us over the line. 'We've had a wonderful three years near enough from getting promoted to getting to a cup final, staying up last year. I've always had something in my water that this season would be the most difficult because all of a sudden you've created an expectation and unfortunately we haven't been able to live up to that expectation. Hull were beaten 2-0 by Southampton on Saturday and are just two points clear of the drop zone. 'We've got our reasons for it, we've still got enough to keep us out of trouble I hope. We're bang in it but I'm still convinced we'll get out of it.' Bruce puts their struggles down to several long-term injuries to key players. At St Mary's Stadium, Mohamed Diame returned from five months out and James Chester from three. Michael Dawson and Nikica Jelavic have missed half the season and Robert Snodgrass has not been available at all. Bruce added: 'They are big players for us and unfortunately, at this moment, we haven't been able to cope. We've battled on manfully but not quite been good enough.' James Ward-Prowse slots home a penalty for Southampton against Hull as they moved up to fifth. Ronald Koeman's side moved to fifth in the table ahead of Tottenham, who lost to Aston Villa, and Liverpool, who play Newcastle on Monday. But the Dutchman left with his own problems, after he had to intervene when Sadio Mane tried to take the penalty when Ward-Prowse was first-choice. Koeman will speak to his squad to remind them that team rules cannot be broken by anyone. Koeman said: 'I already had a word with Mane but we will talk to the team about that because maybe I have to mention it a bit more clearly.'
| Steve Bruce adamant that Hull will avoid relegation from Premier League. Hull were beaten 2-0 by Southampton at St Mary's on Saturday. Defeat leaves Hull in 17th just two points clear of the danger zone. Bruce wanted 10 wins at the start of the season, but Hull have just six.
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Mark Hughes has revealed talks have opened over a contract extension for in-demand Asmir Begovic following Stoke's 2-1 win over Southampton. The Bosnian goalkeeper, who kept Stoke in the game during a one-sided first half at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, sees his existing deal run out next year with Real Madrid known admirers. And speaking after second-half goals from Mame Diouf and substitute Charlie Adam saw his side roar back after Morgan Schneiderlin had given Ronald Koeman’s Southampton a deserved lead, manager Hughes added that he was hopeful of keeping Begovic at the club. Stoke City have opened talks over a contract extension for in-demand goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Begovic is highly-rated and has attracted interest from several top clubs, including La Liga's Real Madrid. Stoke boss Mark Hughes is keen to keep Begovic at the club as he looks to stabilise them in the top ten. Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam scores during the comeback win over Southampton in the Premier League. Jonathan Walters (left) congratulates fellow Stoke striker Mame Biram Diouf (right) after his goal on Saturday. ‘We want to be a team that’s consistently in the top ten,’ said a beaming Hughes whose side rose to ninth in the table. ‘To be able to do that you need key players in key areas of the field and obviously goalkeeper is a key position in any good team and Asmir has been exceptional for us for a long time now.’ Both Manchester clubs have watched the 27-year-old but Hughes thinks Stoke have a chance of persuading him to stay. The win over Southampton on Saturday was Stoke’s first over them since February 2008 when an own goal from Darren Powell and efforts from Ryan Shawcross and Mamady Sidibe secured a 3-2 triumph. ‘We’re talking and those talks are going to be concluded in the summer,’ he said. ‘Hopefully they are going to be concluded in our favour.’ Next up for Saints, who missed the chance to close the gap on Manchester City in fourth place to two points, is a home meeting with Tottenham - and the return to St Mary’s of former boss Mauricio Pochettino. Captain Jose Fonte believes it is a big match because of the race for Europe rather than the visit of the Argentine. ‘It’s because it’s Tottenham,’ said the centre-half. ‘They are close in the table and we want to finish above them. Obviously, there’s that added bit that Pochettino is coming back, but for us players it’s just another big game against a team that is next to us that we want to beat.’ Southampton defender Jose Fonte (left) competes for the ball with Diouf (right) at the Britannia Stadium.
| Stoke have opened talks over a contract extension for Asmir Begovic. Manager Mark Hughes is keen to keep the in-form goalkeeper at the club. He feels Begovic could be central to stabilising Stoke in the top half. Begovic has attracted top suitors including Spanish giants Real Madrid. He put in an excellent performance during Stoke's win over Southampton.
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Adam Rooney is determined to prevent a season of outstanding personal achievement from ending with a sting its tail. The prospect of watching Celtic celebrate title glory inside Pittodrie would, he admits, be a painful experience to bear. After sticking to the coat-tails of the champions for so long, this would be the most unwelcome denouement imaginable. Should the current eight-point gap between the teams remain intact, then Ronny Deila’s side will have the chance to clinch a fourth successive Premiership crown when they head to the north-east on May 10. Aberdeen striker Adam Rooney does not want to see Celtic win the league on their patch on May 11. Rooney, though, expects Aberdeen to be fully motivated to prevent a green-and-white party from getting underway. ‘If they are going to win it they are going to win it,’ said the 27-year-old striker, who on Thursday made the shortlist for PFA Scotland Player of the Year. ‘Obviously, though, we wouldn’t like to see them celebrating on our patch because of the season we have had. We have pushed them close enough this year, so it wouldn’t be nice to watch that. ‘You don’t want to see teams celebrating. You want to be the ones celebrating, particularly at home. I wouldn’t like it for the fans so we just have to make sure that, on the day, we win the game.’ Somewhat ominously for Aberdeen, they have lost all three previous meetings with Celtic this season. A 4-0 reverse at Parkhead early last month killed off any realistic prospect of a first championship flag in 30 years being flown at Pittodrie. The points total Aberdeen have amassed proves that they have been every bit as good as Celtic against the other teams in the top flight. Celtic are eight points ahead of second place Abderdeen and could win the title when they face their nearest challengers on May 11. But is it feasible for Derek McInnes’ outfit to take that final, most difficult, step and view winning the league as a realistic aim in the next year or two? ‘People were waiting to see how we got on this year in case we dropped back down again,’ said Rooney. ‘But because of the stability we have with lads tied up on contracts, and the way the gaffer goes about things, no-one was going to slack off. ‘Hopefully we can add some quality over the summer as well. I don’t think there will be massive numbers going in and out, but hopefully we can keep building. ‘If we can even be a few points closer again this time next year, and Celtic drop off, we could be there or thereabouts. ‘We are only eight points behind Celtic at this stage of the season when most teams would expect to be at least 30 points behind them. Rooney was nominated for the Scotland Player of the Year and has netted 27 times this season. ‘I don’t think we’ve lost to anyone other than Celtic in the league since October, which is such a great achievement. ‘It’s just down to the job the gaffer and Tony Docherty have done. They have brought a lot of quality into the squad. ‘We spent money on Kenny McLean from St Mirren, which shows the club is ambitious, and Graeme Shinnie is coming in the summer. ‘He was a young lad when I was at Inverness and he is a great signing for us. I thought he was brilliant in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic last Sunday. He was by far one of the best players on the pitch, which is saying something when you consider the quality which was on show in that game.’ If Shinnie proves as good an addition as Rooney – signed from Oldham in January 2014 - then McInnes will be utterly delighted. The Irishman’s 27 goals this season have been a crucial component in the red results machine and even led Dons legend Willie Miller to claim he was up with Joe Harper and Duncan Shearer in terms of the finest Aberdeen strikers of recent decades. Rooney scored the winning goal for Aberdeen against Dundee United last Saturday. ‘He must have been drunk when he said that!’ laughed a self-effacing Rooney. ‘I think Barry Robson also compared me to Ally McCoist and he got stick for that. ‘It’s obviously nice to have good things said about you but I just want to try and keep it going until the end of the season. ‘Terry Butcher used to compare me to Ian Rush when I was at Inverness and I got stick for that, too. I think I’ve been compared to everyone apart from Gary Doherty, who is the only one I look like! ‘I’m scoring goals because the lads have created so my chances for me. My target is to get as many as possible and I’m only three away from 30 now, so it would be nice to get there. ‘I wasn’t aware until you told me that I’d only be the sixth player in Aberdeen’ s history to do it - so thanks for the pressure! But it would obviously be a great accolade to get. ‘Confidence has been high. I managed to get a few goals in the Europa League at the start of the season and it’s just gone from there. ‘The team have dominated a lot of games this season, so I’ve been lucky enough to be in the right place to get on the end of what has been created.’
| Celtic are eight points clear of Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership. If the gap stays the same Celtic could win the title at Aberdeen on May 11. Aberdeen's Adam Rooney doesn't want Celtic to celebrate on their patch.
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Walter Smith is reluctant to predict a permanent end to hostilities. Two years since he stepped down as chairman of Rangers, the crackle of gunfire still reverberates in his ears. A declaration of peace in our time is premature. Dave King, the chairman-elect, has still to obtain the SFA clearance he needs for a seat in the boardroom. Details of how the club proposes to stabilise the finances have yet to come. And the Championship promotion play-offs threaten more landmines than the Somme. Yet before participating in the annual charity golf day of the John Hartson Foundation, the Rangers icon expressed hope that the worst is over. That Rangers can put down the circus tent and become a football club once more. (Left to right): Singer Steve McCrorie joins John Hartson and Walter Smith at a charity golf match. Former Rangers chairman and manager Smith hopes that the club can move on from its off-field dramas. 'I think it's a good thing for the club that it has settled down now and the EGM is out of the way and the people can get involved with running the football club,' said Smith. 'In the last three weeks there has been a lack of headlines and that's the first step forward for Rangers. 'The whole club faces a big, big period in its history. 'They have to get back to resembling Rangers Football Club. No club wins all the time and Rangers have had down periods before, even if this one is different. 'Everyone has to adjust to it. People on the outside, fans, everyone. 'There was a lack of trust before. It was simple. Now there isn't. 'They trust the people are there for Rangers — and that's a big start after three or four years of upset.' Smith exposed himself to the crossfire when he returned — against his instincts — as chairman. It is a decision he regrets and, despite the return to the club of familiar faces such as King and Paul Murray, he is 67 now and has no need to embroil himself in the grief or stress of it all a minute longer. Asked if he would offer help or assistance to the new regime, Smith said: 'I think they are unlikely to do that. I made my part quite clear — I don't think they will ask. There is a board there in place and they will make the decisions. 'I made mine when I left and I won't go back. 'They are not liable to ask me what course of action they will take. 'A lot of the decisions right now are financial and that's never been my department.' Rangers' attacking midfielder Haris Vuckic, on loan from Newcastle United, scores agianst Dumbarton. Rangers' teenage striker Ryan Hardie scores his first goal agianst Dumbarton in the Scottish Championship. Hardie celebrates after scoring a brace during the Scottish Championship match against Dumbarton. Smith knows King from his second spell as manager. The South African businessman was a director of the oldco before administration and liquidation and, because he served on the board during the five years prior to an insolvency event, he breaches article 10 of the SFA rulebook. He may do so on two counts. As part of his settlement with the South African tax authorities, King agreed to pay £43.7million but was convicted of 41 breaches of section 75 of the SA Income Tax Act. In return for paying £210,000, he was spared 82 years in jail — two years on each count. The SFA are gathering evidence on this and until they pass judgment one way or the other, King has agreed to stay off the Rangers board. He doesn't have to be chairman or run the show to invest cash, but Smith believes it would be better if the two ran hand in hand. 'The courts seem to think he's OK,' said Smith on the issue. 'The SFA will give their own judgment on it. 'Dave has stepped in, so I don't see things changing in terms of how Rangers moves forward if he is officially or unofficially a part of it. 'It would obviously be better if he could be involved at the club — that would be better for everyone. 'I don't know all the background of what constitutes a fit-and- proper person. They have obviously got to show a bit of care with Rangers after what has gone on. I think that is what they are doing at the moment. 'I don't know what the outcome will be. I don't think it will make a massive difference to Rangers one way or the other. But the preferable aspect would be that he would be involved at the club.' Dumbarton's Garry Flemming (left) comes in with a strong challenge on Rangers' Darren McGregor (right) Rangers were never likely to be a quick fix. Promotion to the Premiership remains fraught with doubt and there are large question marks over who the manager will be next season and how much cash he may have to build a new squad. 'A few bad results and you get the sack — and someone comes in and performances are lifted,' Smith observed. 'That's what happened and it's a starting point for Rangers. 'They have to build on what they are trying to do. It's just a start and people have to remember it. 'But patience and Rangers don't really go hand in hand and never have done. There is more understanding. I won't say patience. 'That goes for all aspects of the club, on and off the pitch. It takes time to clear things off the pitch, but the pressure is always on to win regardless of off-field circumstances. 'There is an understanding of what needs to be done to take a step forward. 'Stuart McCall has been bold enough to take the job and he'll stand by his results over that period. 'It is going to take time. They are not going to jump into the Premiership and challenge Celtic right away. But that is where they should be playing. And, for Scottish football, that is where they should be playing as well.' Rangers manager Stuart McCall shouts instructions to his players during the match against Dumbarton. Dumbarton's Flemming gives chase to Rangers' Marius Zaliukus (right) in the Scottish Championship match.
| Former Rangers manager and chairman Walter Smith hopes that the worst of the off-field drama at Ibrox over so they can target new stability. Rangers are aiming for a return to the SPL as soon as possible. However, promotion from the Championship is proving difficult.
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Ask Manny Pacquiao why he believes boxing to be the greatest sport of all and there is no mention of the $120 million or more he will be paid for going toe-to-toe with Floyd Mayweather in the most lucrative fist fight in history. Rather, his mind goes back to when the PacMan was the PacKid, a 12-year-old urchin in the mud of the Philippines whose mother was eking out the food for the family. ‘Somebody told me and my friends some fights were being put on in the town,’ he recalls. ‘I did not know what boxing was but they said they you got a prize whatever the result. Two hundred pesos (two dollars) to win, a hundred to lose.’ Manny Pacquiao was the star attraction as he held an open workout in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Pacquiao was in good spirits as he showed off his skills for the gathered crowd at the Wild Card gym. Pacquiao addressed gathered media and talked about his upcoming May 2 fight with Floyd Mayweather. Pacquaio opened up about his motivation, his belief in God and journey to the top in boxing. Pacquaio works out in the ring in front of the world's media. Pacquiao does some pad work with trainer Freddie Roach. Pacquiao held an open training session at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood. The Filipino star works on his body shots with Roach. 'So we went and I won. I took the two dollars home and gave them to my mother so she could put more food on the table. But when she asked where I got the money I didn’t tell her it was for fighting. ‘We went back every Sunday and I kept winning the two dollars. Then my uncle came with a stack of videos and I watched Ali and Foreman and Holyfield and so many others.’ And so it began. ‘Boxing is the best sport because it teaches you about life,’ he says. ‘It taught me you will receive if you give back.’ It is a lesson he wants to pass on to Mayweather. ‘When this fight is finished I would like us to sit down quietly together to talk,’ says Pacquiao. ‘I want to speak to him about the Gospel of the Lord and how everything we get is a gift from God. How we are the stewards of this blessing and should use it for good.’ Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach (right) do some padwork as the media gather to watch. Pacquiao showed off his impressive speed - which he will hope will trouble Mayweather. Pacquiao looked calm and content as he went through his stretching and warm-up routine. Pacquiao and Roach take a break from the workout as they prepare for the biggest fight of their lives. Twenty-four hours earlier the equivalent story told by Mayweather was of how he told those close to him that he would become the first boxer to earn more than a hundred million bucks in a night. And since he is reputed to spend his fortunes on fast cars, fast living and fast women, this may seem an unlikely post-fight reunion. But the PacMan smooths the way to the Money Man by saying: ‘Floyd deserves his money because he’s earned it. He has the right to use it his way. But I would like to tell him how good it feels to help people who need it, like giving them plots of land and the houses they build on them.’ Pacquiao’s generosity to his impoverished countrymen is as legendary as Mayweather’s excesses, although it should be stressed that Floyd Jnr is a charitable benefactor himself. But there is a difference, also, in their view of their craft. Mayweather admits that he has fallen out of love with boxing and regards it now as a business. Pacquiao says: ‘Boxing is still my passion. I do it to please the fans, to give them excitement in return for their support. Not for the money. I am not a materialist. Pacquiao started to warm-up in front of the gathered crowd after first speaking to the media (right) Pacquiao opened up about his journey from fighting in the Philippines to the richest boxing bout in history. Pacquiao says he wants to entertain the fans and has warned Mayweather that his killer instinct is back. ‘Now we have one of the biggest fights in history. But it’s not about how much we will be paid. Whether it’s two dollars or a hundred million dollars - it’s what you do with it.’ Mayweather suspects that Pacquiao’sl determination to give the fans their money’s worth – especially when they will be forking out huge amounts in Las Vegas on May to watch their Fight of the Century – may be his downfall. He describes Pacquiao as a reckless fighter, citing his shocking KO by Juan Manuel Marquez as proof. The PacMan responds: ‘We would be nothing without the fans and this fight would not be so big. So we should entertain them. Yes, sometimes there is a price to pay, but it is worth it.’ There is method to what Mayweather regards as madness. Floyd Jnr morphed into Mr Money by virtue of one of the most clever defences ever erected in the prize-ring. PacMan says: ‘Boxing is about punching.’ Pacquiao's trainer Roach was also much sought after at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles. Roach had concerns that Pacquiao led too busy a lifestyle and it was previously affecting his performances. He would like to draw his rival as the best pound-for-pound boxer into an open fight: ‘If he comes to try to knock me out it would be good for me. We’ll see. ‘But whatever happens it should be a better fight than five years ago, when everyone says it should have happened. We are fully developed as fighters and the world is watching now.’ Mayweather keeps insisting it is ‘just another fight.’ Pacquiao says: ‘I’m excited. I love it. No, this fight will not define my career. That is done by all my accomplishments in becoming the only eight-division world champion. But winning this will be a big additional achievement for my legacy,’ He did bridle when Mayweather’s Money Team insinuated that he had risen through the weights with the help of chemical substances, which was why he challenged his opponent that if one of them tested positive for drugs that man should pay the other $5 million. It was an offer Mayweather refused. Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum talks to the media ahead of the fight with Mayweather in May. But perhaps, naturally charming though he is and endlessly obliging to all and sundry, a little of that resentment is driving him on. His trainer Freddie Roach had been concerned that in rediscovering God and purifying his life-style he may have lost some of his bite – and hence the drop in knock-out ratio. Pacquiao says; ‘My determination to win has never been higher than for this fight. My killer instinct is back.’ At this very moment his pet Jack Russell terrier, also called PacMan and who accompanies him everywhere including the gym, barks. Loudly enough to be heard above the frenzied clamour of his master’s media day at Roach’s iconic Wild Card gym in West Hollywood. Pacquiao grins: ‘It’s nothing personal with Mayweather. We are just fighting for many things.’ Floyd Mayweather hit the pads with uncle Roger during a media workout at his Las Vegas gym on Tuesday. Mayweather revealed he is no longer enjoying his boxing and sees the sport more as a business now. Mayweather works to the body with co-trainer Nate Jones in front of a huge crowd at his gym. There is no re-match clause in the contract and Mayweather has expressed no appetite for there to be a second fight. But for Pacquiao one good reason would be for him to even up split of the gigantic purse. ‘I am not happy to have conceded 60-40 per cent to Floyd,’ he says. ‘Negotiating would be easier for the re-match. To make this happen we had to give him everything he wanted. If there is a next time it would be a different deal. ‘Not for me. For my people. I cannot see anyone going hungry and not help them.’ Once again, his mind is taking him back 24 years to the Philippines and those two-dollar fights.
| Manny Pacquiao held a media workout at the famous Wild Card Gym. He is just over two weeks away from facing Floyd Mayweather on May 2. Pacquiao will earn more than $120m from the richest fight in boxing. But Pacquiao says he is not materialistic and fights to please the fans. Ricky Hatton: Pacquiao has style but Mayweather 'will find a way to win'
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Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Burnley's home clash with Tottenham... Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur (Turf Moor) Team news. Burnley. Burnley defender Stephen Ward should be back in contention for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against Tottenham after overcoming an ankle injury. Midfielder Matt Taylor, who has not featured since August, is also nearing a return after resuming training following his recovery from achilles surgery. Stepehn Ward (left) tries to deny Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain possession of the ball along with team-mate Jason Shackell earlier this season. The Clarets have no fresh injury concerns following the international break but Dean Marney and Kevin Long (both cruciate ligament) remain on the long-term absentee list. Provisional squad: Heaton, Gilks, Mee, Duff, Shackell, Keane, Reid, Ward, Trippier, Barnes, Wallace, Arfield, Jones, Boyd, Kightly, Vokes, Jutkiewicz, Ings, Sordell. Tottenham. Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will miss Sunday's Barclays Premier League match at Burnley because of a knee injury. Full-back Danny Rose will be assessed after returning early from an England call-up with hamstring and hip issues. Hugo Lloris picked up a knee injury in Tottenham's 4-3 victory over Leicester before the international break. Forward Roberto Soldado (knee) is another concern. Provisional squad: Vorm, Dier, Rose, Vertonghen, Walker, Mason, Townsend, Eriksen, Bentaleb, Chadli, Kane, Friedel, Chiriches, Adebayor, Lamela, Davies, Dembele, Paulinho. Kick-off: Sunday, 1.30pm - Sky Sports 1. Odds (subject to change):. Burnley 12/5. Draw 23/10. Tottenham 23/20. Referee: Martin Atkinson. Managers: Sean Dyche (Burnley), Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham) Head-to-head league record: Burnley wins 35, draws 22, Tottenham wins 34. Key match stats (supplied by Opta) The Clarets have scored just 14 goals in 15 Premier League home games this season. Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 Premier League away matches. This will be the fourth meeting between these two sides this season after Spurs won their home league fixture and also won at home in the replay after a draw at Turf Moor in the FA Cup. Burnley have only won six of their last 28 Premier League home matches (W6 D10 L12), but Spurs were one of their victims in a 4-2 win in May 2010. Tottenham haven’t lost back to back Premier League away games since March 2014. Tottenham and Burnley have already clashed at Turf Moor this season, with the clubs drawing 1-1 in the FA Cup. Here Nacer Chadli of Spurs (left) tries to dodge a challenge from Dean Marney. Burnley have been losing at half-time in 14 of their 30 Premier League games this season; more often than any other team. Harry Kane’s 19 Premier League goals this season have won Spurs 22 points – nine more than any other player in the PL has won for their side this season. Spurs have conceded seven Premier League penalties this season; more than any other side. The Clarets have conceded a league-high 17 headed goals in the Premier League this season. George Boyd has run a league-high 338.8kms in the Premier League this season, with Christian Eriksen just behind on 338.2kms.
| Stephen Ward in contention for Burnley after overcoming ankle injury. Matt Taylor close to return having been out since August. Tottenham Hotspur without goalkeeper Hugo Lloris through knee injury. Danny Rose and Roberto Soldado also fitness concerns for Spurs.
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Manager Steve Evans has revealed Rotherham will find out whether they will be deducted points for fielding an ineligible player before the weekend. The Millers were sanctioned by the Football League last week as they played Derby defender Farrend Rawson in their 1-0 win over Brighton on Easter Monday after his youth loan had expired and the paperwork over an extension was not dealt with correctly. They have had to endure a nervy wait to discover their fate after the league said a disciplinary panel would hear the case at 'the earliest opportunity', while also indicating that the club will be open to the 'full range of punishments', which includes a potential points deduction. Rotherham manager Steve Evans beleives a decision is imminent on a possible points deduction for his side. On loan Derby defender Farrend Rawson (third right) played in the 1-0 win over Brighton on Easter Monday. The three-man panel is finally set to meet on Thursday, with Evans expecting news of his club's fate in the next 24 hours. 'It's going to happen very soon,' the Scot, whose side host Norwich on Saturday, said. 'It's not my job to talk when it is and when it's not, it will be soon enough. 'I've been told this morning that we hope it will be concluded by the time we arrive here on Saturday, whether that's today or tomorrow I am not 100 per cent sure.' The Millers have vowed to fight the charge, hiring top QC Jim Sturman to defend them, but a three-point deduction is thought to be the likeliest punishment should they be found guilty. But Evans insists he does not know the strength of his club's defence and has not been involved. Rotherham drew 1-1 with Fulham on Wednesday night, leaving them four points above the relegation zone. 'I am not involved in the case, all I know is the chairman that has spent many hours heading the football club on this with a legal representative, I've not been involved in any of the meetings because it is not my department,' he added. 'I have almost been kept at a distance. 'You have to accept there's been an error. Certainly, knowing people inside this football club, no one means to make an error. 'I don't want to cast judgement on people who make genuine mistakes. I have made enough of them. I have often said that in my career and I mean it.'
| Millers await verdict of three-man Football League disciplinary panel. Manager Steve Evans expects decision before Norwich home game. Rotherham fielded an ineligible player against Brighton on Easter Monday.
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Jack Wilshere can be the future of Arsenal’s midfield, but his injury record could turn him into another Abou Diaby, fears club legend Ray Parlour. Wilshere was on the bench against Reading at Wembley on Saturday after five months out through injury. And Parlour believes that the 23-year-old’s fitness record is the one thing holding him back from reaching his undoubted potential. Jack Wilshere, on the bench next to Theo Walcott and Mathieu Flamini, for Arsenal's match against Reading. Wilshere, the England international, is pictured in training for Arsenal earlier this month. ‘I think he’s the future of the club,’ said Parlour. ‘I think if he stays fit, he’s a quality player, there’s no doubt about that. ‘The way he goes past players, the way he links up with people, I definitely think he’s got a big role to play. ‘But again, the big question mark is can he stay fit? Look at Abou Diaby. Diaby’s a terrific player. But look at him, the injuries the last few years. ‘The big burning question is can Wilshere have a full season without being injured for a long period, like he hasn’t had for the last three or four seasons.’ The 23-year-old pictured in action for Arsenal's Under-21s against Reading at the Emirates earlier in April. Wilshere is at the heart of a core of players at the Emirates which has now reached the FA Cup final for the second year in a row, and are approaching maturity as a group. And although the Premier League title may be out of their reach, Parlour believes that Arsene Wenger’s squad, with the right additions, could be ready to finally push for top honours again. ‘What I like about the squad is that they’ve got good youngsters - Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers and Bellerin - coming through, but the main nucleus of players are a good age,' added Parlour, talking at the Carlsberg People’s Pundit final. ‘They’re not too old, they’re in their prime now, they’ve got the experience. So those sort of players, people like Ozil, Ramsey, Sanchez, Wilshere if he’s fit, they’ve got that nucleus. Ray Parlour, who won three championships with Arsenal, has backed Wilshere to be the future of the club. ‘It’ll need a couple of big signings, but if they can get them, I’m sure they’ll be a lot closer to Chelsea next season in the Premier League, and in the Champions League they can go the extra couple of rounds and get to the final,' said Parlour, at the Boot Camp stage of The People's Pundit, championed by Carlsberg – the Official Beer of the England team and the Premier League. After months of scouring the country, The People's Pundit has narrowed down its search to five football fans in with a chance of winning their big break on talkSPORT on the last day of the Barclays Premier League season. Those five – a call centre worker, a personal trainer, a sales director, a production runner, and a furniture upholsterer – were put through their paces under the famous Wembley arch by punditry legends Jeff Stelling, Mark Saggers and Ray Parlour in the final race to see who will become The People's Pundit. Parlour, who won three FA Cups under Arsene Wenger, was also full of praise of the Gunners' FA Cup final opponents Aston Villa, and their boss Tim Sherwood. The former Tottenham boss – who grew up an Arsenal fan – has steered Villa away from the relegation dogfight and into their first Cup final for 15 years, and Parlour backed him to be named manager of the season if he triumphs at Wembley. Parlour won the FA Cup under Arsene Wenger three times, including in 2002 when he scored a stunning goal. Frenchman Diaby's promising career has been hit by a host of injuries. ‘I played with him at England, he always a great lad, always had a good football brain on him, and he’s certainly delivering the goods at the moment,’ said Parlour. ‘He’s certainly got something going for him, and I’d be amazed if Villa do go down, with the momentum they’ve got. ‘If he can keep the club up and lead them next season in the Premier League, and if he can win the FA Cup as well, it’s a great season. If they can come fourth from bottom this season, and win the cup, he’s got to be near enough for manager of the year.’ The Carlsberg Fan Squad is all about making football better for fans. That's why If Carlsberg did pundits, they'd probably be fans just like you. To find out more about the People's Pundit finalists, vote for your favourite, and find out which will win their big break on talkSPORT on the last day of the Premier League season, head to ThePeoplesPundit.co.uk #PeoplesPundit. Carlsberg is the official beer of the England team and the Premier League.
| Jack Wilshere has not played for Arsenal since November after limping off at the Emirates following a tackle from Manchester United's Paddy McNair. His career has been plagued by injuries, but former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour believes he is the future of the club. Parlour also reckons Arsenal can push Chelsea for the title next season. READ: Arsenal will help Abou Diaby get back on track, even if he leaves. Winterburn: Klopp is perfect for Arsenal but give Wenger is the right man.
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Chelsea are interested in Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli. Manager Jose Mourinho was in the crowd at Craven Cottage last Wednesday to watch the 22-year-old in Fulham's 1-1 draw against Rotherham United. Bettinelli only made his debut for Fulham this season and has one more year left on his contract. Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has caught the eye of Chelsea and Jose Mourinho who watched him play in a 1-1 draw against Rotherham. Chelsea are braced for the departure of second choice goalkeeper Petr Cech (right) in the summer. The club will sit down with him to discuss a new contract but Fulham are anticipating an offer from Chelsea over the coming weeks. He is an England Under-21 international after playing against the Czech Republic last month. Mourinho sees him as potential back-up to Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech is expected to move on in the summer with Paris Saint-Germain favourites to sign him. Bettinelli, who made his first-team debut for Fulham only last August, is the son of Fulham academy goalkeeping coach Vic Bettinelli, who also coaches Mourinho's son, Jose Mario. Chelsea manager Mourinho (left) believes Bettinelli could potentially provide back-up for Thibaut Courtois.
| Jose Mourinho watched Marcus Bettinelli when Fulham played Rotherham. Bettinelli made his Fulham debut this season and has one year left on his deal. Mourinho reportedly sees him as a potential No 2 to Thibaut Courtois.
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