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A single point was not nearly enough for Bournemouth. The wear and tear on a talented but brittle squad is enveloping European ambitions. With them winless in six Premier League matches, Champions League horizons have lowered to outside hopes of the Europa League now dropping down to the Conference League as an outside chance if … Read more
Willie Mullins has long been a walking embodiment of Rudyard Kipling’s If: someone with the preternatural ability to treat whatever the twin impostors of triumph and disaster lob at him with a shrug, a smile and an impeccably judged word. But everyone has a breaking point. For the legendary Irish trainer it came when little Nick Rockett, an … Read more
This brave overhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, this collection of generic spires with a massive plastic handkerchief chucked over the top. Three weeks on from first sight of the conceptual drawings for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stately pleasure dome, also known as the proposed Manchester United Stadium Soccer Product Hub, there is … Read more
Narratives are never as straightforward as they may appear. One era does not yield easily to another. What constitutes an era changes over time. While history is happening it’s often hard to make sense of it; patterns seem to emerge that, from the perspective of 20 years later are meaningless, or culs-de-sac. That seems particularly … Read more
How Aston Villa were made to sweat for a seventh successive victory. At least the manner in which Nottingham Forest swarmed their goal as they pushed for a second-half equaliser may prove a decent dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s quarter-final at Paris Saint-Germain. Forest pulled a goal back through half-time substitute Jota Silva and then dialled … Read more
Turbulence and turmoil, infighting and instability, the past 12 months have been trying for Red Bull to the extent it was a wonder that Max Verstappen stood in the eye of the storm and calmly dragged a recalcitrant car to his fourth Formula One title. A fifth this year already looks to be a tall … Read more
Nick Rockett led home an extraordinary one-two-three for trainer Willie Mullins at 33-1 in Saturday’s Grand National. Ridden by the trainer’s son, Patrick, Nick Rockett beat last year’s winner I Am Maximus with Grangeclare West third. The winning horse is still registered in the ownership of Stewart and Sadie Andrew, and though Sadie died of … Read more
This has been a very, very long time coming for Crystal Palace supporters. The last time they were able to celebrate doing the double over Brighton in the 1932-3 season in the old Division Three South, the two clubs weren’t even rivals and it would be another 14 years before Roy Hodgson was born. But … Read more
Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham must make material changes to their outlook as a club if they are to reach the level of success they crave. The manager, who is fighting to continue into next season, described his job as different to anything he had experienced because of the “weight of things you’re trying to rail … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Aston Villa, who have won their last six matches in all competitions, make eight changes to their starting XI after the 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion. Wednesday’s trip to PSG clearly uppermost in mind. Only Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans … Read more