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Malta’s home support at the Ta’ Qali Stadium can be their 12th man and ruin England’s hopes of a third-straight Euro 2024 qualifying win on Friday, according to former player David Carabott. The 122-cap veteran has a contentious claim to being Malta’s only ever goalscorer against England, after his penalty struck a post before rebounding in off goalkeeper Richard Wright during a friendly in the capital Valetta, 23 years ago. FIFA officially credit the goal – which drew the tiny Mediterranean island nation level after Martin Keown had scored for Kevin Keegan’s side – to then Ipswich keeper Wright, who was making his international debut. And Carabott had a chance to write himself further into his country’s folklore with a second spot-kick in the 88th minute to earn an unlikely draw, but this time Wright saved with his feet. Emile Heskey had already scored his first England goal to earn a 2-1 win, but it was an underwhelming finish to the team’s Euro 2000 warm-up schedule as the team laboured against a nation with a population of under half a million. Carabott, who finally signed off his international career in 2005 as the county’s third-highest goalscorer with 12, says Malta have made strides in the more than two decades since England squeaked past them, and that they have spirit in the squad to frustrate Gareth Southgate’s team. “What I can guarantee is that Malta will give England a hard time,” said Carabott. “They will put them under pressure, they will frustrate them, they will try to break the game, stop England from scoring early. “The longer that passes, the more frustrating it will become for them, nor for us. That’s where we will find our motivation, courage and fighting spirit. “We have a supporters club now that make a big difference to us at home, the ground will be a good asset for us. It can be the 12th man.” Malta are ranked 172nd in the FIFA ranking -, sandwiched between Bermuda and Moldova – but like many smaller European sides, they have become more competitive since the inception of the Nations League in 2018. They went down 2-0 after a battling display against European champions Italy at the Ta’ Qali Stadium in March, days after pushing Euro 2020 qualifiers North Macedonia all the way in Skopje, eventually losing 2-1. The team have followed the blueprint of other UEFA members in looking for talented players abroad with eligibility for citizenship, in the expectation that regular game time in bigger leagues will ultimately benefit the national team. Most notably the 33-cap midfielder Teddy Teuma, born and raised in France, played a key role as Union Saint-Gilloise came within a whisker of winning the Belgian title in 2022. The 29-year old will miss the meeting with England through injury. OK, we are tiny, but when we have to prove ourselves against a great nation like England, we can rise to the occasion David Carabott “Three days ago, Malta beat Luxembourg 1-0 away,” said Carabott. “We competed with them and beat them. They’re about 70 places above us in the rankings. “We’re getting more competitive, we’re exploring a lot of other talents with Maltese citizenship that play abroad, because our national league, the level is not that high. “When you can use players who play abroad, where the structure is on another level. “We have Teuma playing in Belgium. He makes all the difference for us, you see the level he is at, how high it is compared to the others.” Despite the passing years, Carabott still recalls vividly the day he almost snatched a famous draw for his country against England. “It was fantastic to show that we are Malta. OK, we are tiny, but when we have to prove ourselves against a great nation like England, we can rise to the occasion,” he said. “The people in the street after that game (were optimistic for the future) but in football it depends on the opposition. We played England, we had nothing to lose, it was a beautiful day and we performed brilliantly. “I cannot say that in the years since we haven’t improved, or we have not made headlines at home. “Improvement is being made and our national team have been doing well, but to compete against such great national sides as England, Italy, Ukraine and Macedonia – we know it’s a very, very tough group for a country like us.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live W Series enters administration after three seasons England batter Dan Lawrence to join Surrey from Essex on three-year deal Leighton Clarkson set to join Aberdeen on permanent deal

Manchester City will begin their bid for a record fourth consecutive Premier League title away to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. The treble winners will visit Turf Moor to face their former captain’s newly-promoted side on the evening of Friday, August 11 to raise the curtain on the 2023-24 campaign. It will be the second time Kompany – who won the title on four occasions as City skipper – will have faced his old side as a manager, with City running out 6-0 winners at the Etihad in March’s FA Cup quarter-final. “We all know every match this season is massive but for the reigning winners of the Championship to face the Premier League champions feels like the perfect curtain raiser,” Kompany told the club’s website. It’s great we can start the Premier League campaign in front of our own fans with a home match.” Premier League debutants Luton will play their first top-flight fixture since 1992 away to Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton on Saturday, August 12, having to wait until the following weekend for their first home game when Kenilworth Road will become the smallest ground to host a fixture in the competition for the visit of Burnley. The other promoted side Sheffield United kick off their season with a home game against Crystal Palace. The outstanding fixture of the opening weekend will be at Stamford Bridge where Mauricio Pochettino begins life as Chelsea manager against Liverpool on Sunday, August 13, with both sides looking to bounce back after disappointing campaigns. Arsenal, following an anticlimactic conclusion to last season’s title challenge, open at home to Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s lunchtime game, with fellow Champions League qualifiers Newcastle hosting Aston Villa that evening and Manchester United beginning against Wolves at Old Trafford on Monday, August 14. Ange Postecoglou’s first game in charge of Tottenham will be away to Brentford at 2pm on Sunday, Bournemouth open at home to Europa Conference League winners West Ham, and Everton, looking to avoid a third straight relegation scrap, begin at home to Fulham. The first north London derby of the campaign sees Spurs visit Arsenal on September 23 (with the return on April 27) while Man City travel to the Emirates on October 7 for a meeting of last season’s top two. October 28 at Old Trafford will bring the first Manchester derby since City matched United’s Treble-winning feat of 1999 (United go to the Etihad on March 2), with the champions hosting Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on November 25. The first Merseyside derby of the campaign sees Everton go to Anfield on October 21, while Pochettino will take his new side to face his old one when Chelsea visit Tottenham on November 4. Mikel Arteta is unlikely to be impressed with Arsenal’s schedule, with the club’s first two Champions League fixtures in six years coming immediately ahead of games against Tottenham and City. Pochettino will receive an early test of his Chelsea rebuild when the Blues face Tottenham, Man City and Newcastle in consecutive games in November. Luton have been handed a seemingly kind start to life in the Premier League, their only meeting with any of the ‘big six’ in their first seven games coming away at Chelsea on August 26. The final weekend sees all three promoted sides play at home, with Burnley welcoming Forest, Sheffield United hosting Spurs and Luton playing Fulham. Read More Premier League fixtures announced: 5 key games to decide title, Champions League fight and relegation Opening day fixtures 2023/24: Every Premier League match in first round of games Boxing Day fixtures 2023/24: Every Premier League match over festive period

It’s a bit of a lighter slate in the MLB on this Thursday night and that means if we want to find the best value we might need to branch out to different kinds of bets.That makes No Run First Inning and Yes Run First Inning bets very enticing, especially the ones I have for you with some o...

Fox Sports has a big decision to make with the future of 'Undisputed'.

Here are the television picks for the opening weekend of the Premier League season in the United Kingdom, including Liverpool's trip to Chelsea and Manchester City's reunion with Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

Not many players can boast successful spells at both Leeds and Manchester United, but Gordon McQueen was one of them. The former Scotland defender, who has died at the age of 70 following a battle with dementia, broke the British transfer record in 1978 after making a controversial £495,000 move across the Pennines to Manchester, but it came at a cost as he attracted the ire of the West Yorkshire club’s fans. The move was met with such a backlash from the Leeds faithful that McQueen, a tough and uncompromising centre-back, felt responsible for creating such a bitter rivalry between the two clubs and admitted the move could well have been a catalyst for decades of enmity between the sets of supporters. But it was one he could not turn down, saying famously at the time: “Ninety-nine per cent of players want to play for Manchester United and the rest are liars.” Despite the furore surrounding the deal, the Scot went on to enjoy a seven-year career in Manchester before retirement and, after flirting briefly with management, he enjoyed a successful television career as a pundit on Sky Sports. He disappeared from screens after being diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in 2011, but his legacy at the broadcaster lives on in the shape of daughter Hayley McQueen, a regular presenter on the channel. While McQueen’s time in West Yorkshire may be overshadowed by the move to Old Trafford, he will go down as one of the great Scottish contingent that featured so heavily for Don Revie’s dominant Leeds side of the 1970s. Born in the North Ayrshire town of Kilbirnie on June 26, 1952 to mother Millie and former Hibernian and Accrington goalkeeper Tom McQueen, it was no surprise that McQueen embarked on a career in professional football, and it all started out at St Mirren. Ninety-nine per cent of players want to play for Manchester United and the rest are liars Gordon McQueen It did not take long for the big clubs to come calling, though, and after rejecting the likes of Liverpool’s Bill Shankly and Jock Stein at Celtic, McQueen plumped for a move to Elland Road where he would join up with future international team-mates Billy Bremner, Eddie Gray and Joe Jordan, whom he also played alongside at Old Trafford. Having moved south in 1972 at the age of 20, McQueen missed the FA Cup final defeat to Sunderland in his first season, but it was not long before he had established himself in the side as they went on to win the First Division title in 1973-74 before having a tilt at the European Cup the following season. Leeds made it all the way to the final, but McQueen was suspended for the 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich after he was sent off in the semi-final against Barcelona. “We played Barcelona in the semi-final and we were 2-1 up going into the second leg in Spain,” he recalled in an interview with the BBC in 2016. “A few of their players said they were going to do me, and Jimmy Armfield, our manager, told me to count to 10 if anything happened. “The boy (Manuel) Clares spat in my face, I counted to 10 and then knocked him out. I was sent off. Missed the final.” After six years at Leeds, the offer came in from Old Trafford to make McQueen the most expensive ever signing by a British club, a year after Hamburg splashed out £500,000 to sign Kevin Keegan from Liverpool. He helped his new club reach the 1978-79 FA Cup final in his first full season and played his part in one of the most dramatic matches the competition has witnessed, his 86th-minute goal sparking a late United comeback from 2-0 down to 2-2 against Arsenal, only for Alan Sunderland’s 89th-minute goal to win it for the Gunners. He did claim an FA Cup winners’ medal in 1982-83 following a replay win over Brighton, but suffered defeat in the League Cup final that same year against Liverpool. On the international front, McQueen made his debut for Scotland in 1974, with his most memorable moment in dark blue coming against England at Wembley in 1977. He powered a header past Ray Clemence – one of five international goals he scored – to set Scotland on their way to a famous 2-1 win in front of almost 100,000 fans, 70,000 of them travelling Scots. The wild celebrations that followed have gone down in football folklore, with hoards of jubilant Scotland fans invading the pitch. Supporters clambered on to the goal frames, even breaking a crossbar, while bits of the Wembley turf were ripped up and claimed as souvenirs. McQueen was included in Scotland’s squad for the 1978 World Cup, but could not play in the tournament due to injury. He won the last of his 30 caps in 1981. Following seven years at Old Trafford, he left the club in 1985 after losing his place to Paul McGrath and, after a brief spell in Hong Kong, he retired and took the managerial reins at Airdrie before moving on to backroom roles at St Mirren and Middlesbrough, where he settled down with his family. McQueen was a smoker and drinker throughout his career in an era when it was rife among footballers. After his cancer diagnosis in 2011, he had a further health scare in 2015 when he suffered a stroke in the same month his father died. It affected his movement, despite sessions of physiotherapy, and meant he had to scale back the scouting work he did for Boro. In February 2021 it was announced he had been diagnosed with vascular dementia, with his family saying that he wondered whether the amount of heading of the ball he did throughout his career was a factor in him getting the disease. McQueen is survived by wife Yvonne, daughters Hayley and Anna, son Edward and grandchildren Rudi, Etta and Ayla.

Mike Breen was just trying to watch baseball.

Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson have made their cases to be the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft

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Former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen has died aged 70 after his battle with dementia. McQueen, whose 16-year playing career during the 1970s and 80s included spells at St Mirren, Leeds and Manchester United, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in early 2021. A statement issued on behalf of the McQueen family said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather. “We hope that as well as creating many great football memories for club and his country, he will be remembered for the love, laughter and bravery that characterised his career and his family life – not least during his recent battles with ill health. “Our house was always a buzz of friends, family and football and this constant support sustained him as he fought bravely against the cruel impact of dementia. “The disease may have taken him too soon and while we struggle to comprehend life without him, we celebrate a man who lived life to the full: the ultimate entertainer, the life and soul of every occasion, the heart and soul of every dressing room, the most fun dad, husband and grandfather we could ever have wished for. “The family would like to express our huge thanks to the wonderful staff at Herriot Hospice Homecare for their outstanding care; the utterly incredible Marie Curie team who were there with us all until the end; and Head for Change for the emotional support and respite care. “Finally, to our wonderful friends and family who are a constant source of support we send our utmost love and gratitude. “You will remain in our hearts always, Yvonne, Hayley, Anna, Eddie, Rudi, Etta and Ayla.” McQueen, 6ft 3in, was among the outstanding central defenders of his era, winning 30 caps for Scotland between 1974 and 1981. He came to prominence in England following his move to Leeds from St Mirren in 1972, helping the Yorkshire club to league title success in 1973-74 and playing a key role in their run to the European Cup final in 1975. McQueen, who missed out on Leeds’ final defeat to Bayern Munich through suspension, joined arch-rivals Manchester United in 1978 and went on to win the FA Cup in 1983. Injury robbed him of a World Cup appearance in 1978 after he had been included in Scotland’s squad having made his senior debut in 1974 against Belgium. After retiring as a player, McQueen had a brief spell as Airdrie manager and coach at former club St Mirren and spent five years as coach at Middlesbrough under Bryan Robson until 2001. McQueen went on to become a popular Sky Sports pundit and his family announced he had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in February 2021. Daughter Hayley, a Sky Sports presenter, revealed in an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in April that McQueen’s condition had been spurred by the repeated heading of footballs. Paying tribute to McQueen, Airdrie tweeted: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Airdrieonians manager Gordon McQueen. Gordon, a legendary defender for Manchester United and Scotland, managed the Diamonds from 1987-1988. Our condolences go to Gordon’s family and friends at this sad time.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ‘Incredible’ Ashes record secured Stuart Broad’s Edgbaston place – Ben Stokes Gordon McQueen: The tough defender who starred for both Leeds and Man United Caroline Dubois determined to make Tony Disson ‘words come true’ after tragedy

Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 UEFA Champions League final. Jude Bellingham watched that game in the company of Zinedine Zidane at the Stade de France and has revealed that this match helped persuade him to move to Spain.

England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton is to leave Aston Villa when her contract expires at the end of this month, the Women’s Super League club have announced. The 22-year-old, who joined Villa in the summer of 2021 after leaving Birmingham, has been linked with Chelsea. Hampton made 43 appearances in all competitions for Villa and helped Carla Ward’s team achieve a fifth-placed finish for the 2022-23 WSL season. The in-form Hampton produced five clean sheets out of her 15 WSL league matches this past season. Capped twice at senior international level, she was part of the England squad that won the European Championship on home soil last summer. She received her first call-up since that tournament in March, with Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman saying Hampton had "needed to sort out some personal issues (and has) done that" and praising her form. She has subsequently been included in Wiegman’s 23-player squad for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The call up is a great step forward as many saw Hampton on the fringe of making the Lionesses squad. Hampton is joining fellow Women’s Super League goalkeepers Mary Earps of Manchester United, the undisputed No.1, and Ellie Roebuck of Manchester City, who are also making the journey Down Under. Hampton was ecstatic with her selection, telling her local paper, the Lichfield Live, “From a little girl playing football to being selected to represent my country at a World Cup is a dream come true and a huge honour.” With Hampton in the squad, the Lionesses aim to build upon their successful Euro’s campaign in 2022, which concluded with a victory over Germany to win the trophy, marking the first-ever win for the Lionesses first in their history. The England squad enter’s this year’s World Cup with sky-high expectations, coming in as the bookmakers’ second most likely team to win the illustrious tournament. Meanwhile, the United States enters the tournament as the favorites, coming off of two straight World Cup titles. Hampton and the Lionesses look to build off of their past strong World Cup performances, where the talented squad reach back-to-back World Cup semifinals. Additional reporting by PA Read More Premier League fixtures LIVE: Opening weekend and full schedules for every club Hayley McQueen pays tribute to father Gordon after his death at 70 Former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen dies aged 70