The Guardian

A game to suit departing Stones, West Ham’s Pablo under scrutiny against Arsenal and Maddison can rouse Spurs Liverpool have eased one self-inflicted headache by listening to their fans and scrapping plans to raise some ticket prices for the next three seasons. Anfield’s attention can now focus squarely on eradicating another as Arne Slot’s side seek to salvage a desperately poor season with Cham…

US star is still on rebel tour but the desired focus on teams is not something that is catching on with supporters Moments before Bryson DeChambeau teed off to open LIV Golf’s first American tournament of the year, at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, the public address announcer bellowed “Long! LIV! Golf!” to try and electrify a modest crowd by the first tee. The irony wasn’t lost …

Bill Foley’s Cannae Holdings Inc expected to complete deal Billionaire Foley to provide ‘significant’ investment Exeter’s members have voted in favour of selling the club to the American owners of AFC Bournemouth. Cannae Holdings Inc, part of billionaire Bill Foley’s investment empire which also includes the Black Knight Sports and Entertainment group, is now set to take full control of the Chief…

In the end, it was a rout, Aston Villa sailing into their first major European final since 1982. There were fist pumps from Prince William high in the Trinity Road Stand after Emiliano Buendía’s penalty approaching the hour put Villa in command of the tie and then pure delirium as John McGinn buried two near-identical first-time finishes inside five minutes to kill the game. In between serenading…

As the song that has accompanied them on their maiden European adventure promised all along, Crystal Palace are on their way to Leipzig. Sixteen years after rescuing the club he supported as a child from administration, Steve Parish watched on from the stands with pride as Oliver Glasner’s side held off a spirited challenge from Shakhtar Donestsk to book a showdown with Rayo Vallecano in eastern …

Both tournaments will have eight extra games Tournaments will expand for first time in 15 years The NCAA announced on Thursday that it will expand its two March Madness tournaments by eight teams each next season, a long-expected move that will drop more games into the first week of the showcase without substantially changing its overall form. The new, 76-team brackets will jam eight extra games …

Five-year strategy released with traditional courses vulnerable Research aims to underline game’s ‘contribution to our society’ Golf Australia is preparing to defend the country’s public courses against re-zoning attempts as part of its five-year strategy released on Friday, even as participation growth skews towards non-traditional venues like simulators and driving ranges. The sport reported an…

Individual seen in bushes was confronted on Thursday Echoes of Marcelo Bielsa’s 2019 ‘spygate’ affair Middlesbrough believe they caught a Southampton analyst hiding in the bushes and allegedly recording their training session on Thursday morning, in a remarkable repeat of the 2019 Marcelo Bielsa “spygate” affair . Boro are understood to have reported the incident to the English Football League gi…

Valverde accused Frenchman of leaking earlier argument Real play Barcelona on Sunday with title on the line Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde was taken to hospital to have stitches after a second confrontation with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni in two days, as the club’s collapse into chaos continues. Players held an an emergency meeting and Real have opened disciplinary proceedings after a punch was th…

Wada looking into allegations relating to Rusada chief IOC recommends lifting of ban on Belarusians competing Russia’s return to international sport has been delayed following allegations that its head of anti-doping was involved in covering up drug test results at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. While the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday that athletes from Belarus should now be f…

The Essex and South Africa spinner has taken more Championship wickets than anyone else since arriving in 2017 – but says 18 teams can reward mediocrity For 10 seasons, few have earned the right to comment on English cricket more than Simon Harmer. Because for 10 seasons, no one has taken more County Championship wickets than the South African off-spinner who arrived at Essex in 2017 on a six-mon…

‘I think we give much more than what we get back’ Novak Djokovic lending his support to players Jannik Sinner refused to rule out participating in a player boycott of the grand slam tournaments and accused the majors of disrespect for the top players due to their lack of response in the ongoing prize money dispute. “It’s more about respect, you know?” said Sinner, the men’s No 1. “Because I think…

Spurs fired survival chances with 2-1 win over Villa ‘It was a great first XI,’ says Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has rubbished the notion that Tottenham’s vital win at Aston Villa on Sunday was down to them facing heavily-rotated opposition. Spurs’s 2-1 success moved them above West Ham and out of the relegation zone with three matches to play, but much of the reaction focused on how Unai …

Decision of the king’s track to quit the Racecourse Association may ultimately lead to long overdue reform The racing industry is such a broad and varied collection of professions, venues and interests that at times it can feel like the Holy Roman empire: there is always a turf war or two going on somewhere, but never to such an extent that the whole thing falls apart. Ascot’s announcement on Mon…

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! The state-owned football team it’s OK to like (and proof that sportswashing works), Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in Bigger Cup final courtesy of a draw against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Like Shaun Murphy in Monday’s night’s thrilling denouement of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, the German champions di…