The Guardian

⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off; (agg 0-1) ⚽ Palace v Shakhtar – live | Scores | Mail John The big team news is Morgan Gibbs-White being only ready enough to start the evening on the Forest bench after that horrible cut he received at Stamford Bridge. It required 11 stitches. Aston Villa: Martinez, Lindelof, Konsa, Torres, Cash, McGinn, Buendia, Tielemans, Digne, Watkins, Rogers. Subs: Bizot,…

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…

⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off; agg 3-1 ⚽ Villa v Forest – live | Scores | Mail Niall Back in April 1962, Crystal Palace hosted Real Madrid in a friendly to christen Selhurst Park’s new floodlights. Alfredo Di Stéfano graced the pitch with “effortless ease at walking pace” (according to the Croydon Advertiser) and his team ran out 4-3 winners. Save for a solitary Intertoto Cup tie and a few …

‘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…

Former manager died in September 2025 aged 47 Burnley exit was ‘catalyst for decline in mental health’ A pre-inquest hearing regarding the former Liverpool manager Matt Beard has heard that his family felt he was “bullied” by Burnley before his death. Beard, who won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 with Liverpool, was in charge at Burnley from June to August 2025 before r…

Tickets for US opener v Paraguay go for $1,000+ Infantino recently defended World Cup prices Donald Trump has questioned the value of four-figure World Cup tickets for matches involving the United States, telling the New York Post that “I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest.” The remark came in a phone interview with the Post, with Trump claiming he “did not know that number” for the USMNT’s ope…

Our cartoonist wonders what the veteran Spanish maestro’s left foot cannot do after an impressive campaign with Melbourne Victory Continue reading...

Former Australia batter has worked at Durham since 2018 New selector expected to have final say on squads Marcus North, the former Australia middle order batter, has emerged as the leading candidate to become the new England men’s selector, with an official announcement expected in the coming days. The 46-year-old has worked as director of cricket at Durham since 2018 and was among those intervie…

It is expected he will be offered permanent role ‘It’s out of my hands, we’ll see what happens’ Michael Carrick says clarity on who will be in charge of Manchester United next season is important but admits the matter is out of his hands. The interim head coach secured Champions League football last Sunday but has yet to be told whether he has done enough to land the job on a permanent basis. Uni…

Double Tour de France winner makes his debut when race begins on Friday and is the outstanding favourite for victory in Rome Jonas Vingegaard’s bid to complete a rare Grand Tour grand slam by winning the 2026 Giro d’Italia begins in Bulgaria on Friday when the double Tour de France winner makes his debut in the Italian race. Vingegaard, the winner of the 2022 and 2023 Tours de France, has been ec…

The teams for the final in Budapest are set. We look at how they got there and the factors that could determine the champion Destination Budapest, where Paris Saint-Germain will attempt to be the first club apart from Real Madrid to win two consecutive European Cups since Milan in 1990. Vincent Kompany’s promise of “more” from Bayern Munich after a nine-goal first leg did not materialise . PSG of…

St Andrews club opened membership to women in 2014 Dowling will serve as club captain from September The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has appointed amateur player Claire Dowling as the first woman captain in its 272-year history. The club, based at the “home of golf” on the east coast of Scotland, opened its membership to women 12 years ago . Continue reading...