List of All Articles with Tag 'eppersons'

George Russell believes this season has been his best ever in terms of performance as he refused to dwell on his last-lap crash in Singapore. Russell put his Mercedes into the barriers as he chased down Lando Norris and race winner Carlos Sainz on the draining street circuit. The 25-year-old was visibly emotional afterwards following a strong weekend where he qualified second and held the edge over his team-mate Lewis Hamilton but is keen to move on quickly. “In terms of pure performance I feel that this has been my best season ever,” Russell said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. “But I reckon there is over 60 points that we have lost this season for a number of different reasons. “I have got an objective this year to secure P2 in the constructors’ championship for the team. It was quite clear this year from the beginning that we were not going to be fighting for a championship and I don’t know if that’s had an impact on my mentality or not. “There is a reason for all mistakes and that is just pushing to the limit and in some instances pushing over the limit to try and achieve what is possible. I think when I look at my championship-winning years in junior formulas I was the driver who kept on getting results, it’s the long game. “I can assure you once we are in a position again to win a championship I will be back to the ways that I know how to win a championship.” Russell has no regrets over pushing to try and claim the victory over the ailing Sainz and Norris. “If I knew it was the last lap and I took it easy and Lewis overtook me I would equally be kicking myself,” Russell added. “We are on to the next one and it is behind us, in life you can let these setbacks dwell on you. You can overthink and let it consume you but ultimately that brings nothing. You have to have that moment when it knocks you down. “Shov (Mercedes’ chief race engineer Andrew Shovlin) called me Sunday evening and said ‘the only reason we were in that position to fight for a win was because of how incredibly you’d driven all weekend’. I'm not going to let a mistake of 2cm cloud my whole weekend George Russell “He said ‘you gave us that feeling of what it is like to fight for victory again so take that away from the weekend’. “I take the positives, really pleased with the overall performance. I’m not going to let a mistake of 2cm cloud my whole weekend.” Norris clipped the barriers just ahead of Russell but survived the impact and the Mercedes driver feels it played a part. “When Lando hit the wall, the thought process is so quick in your brain because I saw him hit the wall and I thought ‘Oh my God he hit the wall’ and then I hit the wall,” Russell added. “Either the distraction of him clipping the wall was a factor or I was following his tracks or it was just a silly mistake but it seems a bit too much of a coincidence.” Mercedes’ strong pace in Singapore may be hard to replicate around the high-speed corners at Suzuka – where Russell believes McLaren are best placed to challenge Red Bull. But Hamilton is excited to return to the Japanese circuit. “I don’t anticipate us having the performance we had in Singapore. We are continuing to try and push the envelope that we have,” Hamilton said. “It (Suzuka) is one of the favourites for all the drivers. It is that historic circuit and an incredible track to drive on. It is one of the greatest layouts that we get to experience in the calendar.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is eager to right the wrongs of last season’s north London derby results and knows Arsenal will not want to face them. Spurs lost 3-1 and 2-0 to their closest rivals during the 2022-23 campaign, which allowed Arsenal to complete a first double in this fixture since 2014. Last season proved to be a nadir for Tottenham with a number of managerial changes followed by an eighth-placed finish, but the appointment of Ange Postecoglou has transformed the mood in N17. Postecoglou claimed the Premier League manager of the month award for August and Spurs will travel to the Emirates Stadium on a four-match winning streak in the division. “Any away game is tough in the Premier League, it’s not easy. We had a tough year at Arsenal last season,” Son acknowledged. “I know what it means for the club, the fans and players as well. We should understand what kind of game it is. It’s going to be a really difficult game but they won’t want to face us at this time. “We just have to give it everything we have and it will be a difficult game for both sides, but we’re looking forward to this game because it’s the right time to play against them. We’ll have a good game.” While Tottenham have enjoyed a flying start to life under Postecoglou, Arsenal warmed up for Sunday’s clash with a 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven on their Champions League return. Spurs were also rocked this week by the news Ivan Perisic has suffered a complex anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee. I know what it means for the club and the fans and players as well. We should understand what kind of game it is. It’s going to be a really difficult game but they won’t want to face us at this time Tottenham captain Son Heung-min on Arsenal It will reduce Postecoglou’s options from the bench and Bryan Gil, who had surgery on his groin in August, is still working his way back to full fitness and not training with the first-team group yet. Nevertheless, Son will remind the squad and any new arrivals in the coming days of the importance of this weekend’s fixture. He added: “It is a special game, for them as well. The result is probably the most important of the season. Look, we had a tough year of away games, it was tough to take. Winning is never free. “You go there and you won’t get three points for free. We wish we could get them for free. Go there, get three points and come back. It sounds easy but it’s never like that. “We have to work hard, we’re working hard in the week. The players are ready and looking forward to it. I’m pretty sure they don’t want to face us at this moment. I guarantee we’re going to give everything. The result I can’t promise you, but one thing I can guarantee is we’re going to give everything for this club on Sunday.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Bruno Fernandes tells Andre Onana to stop blaming himself for Man Utd defeat Ryder Cup by the numbers On This Day in 2008 – United States end European dominance with Ryder Cup win

South Africa fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala have been ruled out of the Cricket World Cup because of injuries

Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen said Thursday he felt "no emotion" at seeing his record winning streak end as he looks to bounce back...

Football, bloody hell, as Sir Alex Ferguson famously exclaimed after an action-packed finale against Bayern Munich. Manchester United had the final say again, Casemiro’s second goal meaning they got three in the Allianz Arena. Yet on a night of some surreal developments, there was a certain predictability, too. Of course Harry Kane scored. Bayern Munich bought him to be reassuringly reliable. Of course United lost, too, because that felt like a guarantee for a team with an acute self-destructive streak and even as they can savour the fact that the striker they did get instead of Kane, Rasmus Hojlund, opened his account. But as United’s third successive defeat was a tale of three summer signings, the notion it would come down to Kane against Hojlund, the master and the apprentice of goalscoring, overlooked United’s increasingly acute goalkeeping issue. While United named three goalkeepers on their bench, the problem was the one they had on the Allianz Arena pitch. Andre Onana was a Champions League finalist last season and arguably the outstanding shot-stopper in the competition. If Erik ten Hag thought he was buying a guarantee of their own, a Kane of goalkeeping, the Cameroonian marred his United bow in the competition with a horrible error, gifting Leroy Sane the opener and Bayern a path to a victory that, despite United’s three goals, rarely felt in doubt thereafter. While Jamal Musiala was outstanding, Thomas Tuchel’s team did not justify their billing among the favourites to win the competition. Nor did they need to. After 27 minutes of mediocrity from Bayern, Onana blundered, Sane scored and his torrid start to the season moved into the realms of the terrible. Short of players and confidence, United desperately require solidity, something to give them a platform they can build upon. Instead, for the first time since 2001, they have conceded at least two goals in five successive matches. Onana has been culpable for several of the 14, to varying degrees, but none as much as Sane’s limp shot. While Kane ended his Champions League debut for Bayern with an assist and a goal, the first came courtesy of Onana. As Bayern made an undistinguished start, the best pass Kane received in the first 27 minutes came from Hojlund, United transfer targets in various summers inadvertently combining. But then Sane cut infield, used Kane to play a one-two and shot. Gently. Towards Onana. But the ball squirmed under him, somehow. In a sense, it was a mistake that cost United two goals. They are a side with a capacity to struggle immediately after a setback and, for the third time already this season, they conceded twice in five minutes. The magnificent Musiala was the instigator of the second, a driving run drawing in three United defenders. In the process, they left Gnabry unmarked for him to steer in a shot. Onana neglected to dive this time, perhaps wary of what happened the previous time he did. But it meant there were unwanted similarities with Saturday. As they had against Brighton, United started well. As they did then, they unravelled before the interval. Ten Hag had ditched his midfield diamond and United had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. After Alphonso Davies made a terrific recovery challenge on Facundo Pellestri, the ball fell obligingly for Christian Eriksen. Perhaps unable to believe how good a chance it was, he shot tamely at Sven Ulreich. Another Dane struck instead for United; it is a goal that may have a long-term significance. It was a first repayment of Hojlund’s £72m fee not, after his cameo at Arsenal, a first indication the young Dane is not intimidated by his price or the pressure it confers. After Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford combined, he span and shot; perhaps a better goalkeeper than Ulreich would have stopped it and United’s three goals suggested the goalkeeper may yet be Bayern’s undoing. But not here. Bayern responded, with a penalty awarded after the incident was reviewed on a monitor. Dayot Upamecano’s header struck the raised arm of Eriksen. Kane composed himself and beat Onana. And then Bayern, so mediocre at the start, were rampant. Sane rolled a shot against the post, Onana again motionless. The goalkeeper belatedly started making saves, launching a damage-limitation exercise when he had been responsible for the initial damage. Bayern, in a show of strength, were able to send on Kingsley Coman, the scorer of a Champions League final winner. Then came a further exchange of goals, Casemiro first finished while grounded before applying a finishing touch to Fernandes’ free kick. Sandwiched by his pair, Bayern added an ultimately decisive fourth: after Thomas Muller struck the post, another substitute, Mathys Tel, finished emphatically. Shorn of 12 players for various reasons – again, some self-inflicted – United had no such enviable options. Their replacements included three goalkeepers, four rookies and a 35-year-old Jonny Evans. United once beat Bayern because they had Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as substitutes. In a rematch, they had two late goals, both from Casemiro, but fewer reasons to party like it was 1999. Read More Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores and Musiala shines after Onana howler Arsenal are back in the Champions League — and they look like contenders too Harry Kane on target as Bayern Munich pile misery on Manchester United How Harry Kane unshackled Bayern Munich with a classic move from his Tottenham days Andre Onana owns up to mistake against Bayern: ‘One of my worst games’ Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores after Onana howler

What the papers say Harry Kane continues to feature strongly in transfer talk – just weeks after his move to Bayern Munich. The Daily Mail says a buy-back clause gives Tottenham first refusal on the England captain, 30, if he returns to the Premier League, but the Daily Telegraph reports any return would depend on whether Kane feels he can work with chairman Daniel Levy. Manchester City are keen to keep hold of their young forward Oscar Bobb. The treble winners turned down loan offers from Ajax and Porto for the 20-year-old Norway Under-21 international, according to the Daily Telegraph. Across the city, Manchester United are also keen to keep hold of a young striking talent. The Manchester Evening News reports United are lining up a new contract for Joe Hugill, 19, after he impressed in pre-season. Off the pitch, former Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore, 49, is tipped to take over at Huddersfield Town, according to The Sun. The Terriers have parted ways with veteran boss Neil Warnock. Social media round-up Players to watch Jadon Sancho: Reports in Germany suggest Borussia Dortmund are not interested in re-signing the winger, 23, to end his troubled stay at Manchester United.Hugo Ekitike: Crystal Palace, Brentford, Everton, West Ham and Wolves are all keen on Paris St-Germain’s 21-year-old striker. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Lando Norris has called for stronger punishments to be dished out for blocking other drivers after Max Verstappen escaped grid sanctions at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen was under three separate investigations following qualifying – one for stopping at the pit lane exit, one for impeding Logan Sargeant and another for getting in the way of Yuki Tsunoda in Q2 – but only received a 5,000 euros (£4,308) fine. Norris believes that more responsibility should be placed on the driver to avoid such incidents. “I think the blocking one on track should have been a penalty,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “If you block someone, it is not just down to the team – I know the team got a fine – but it should be down to the driver as well. “You have to look in your mirrors. You have nothing else to do the whole lap but look in your mirrors and it seems like a lot of people struggle to do that. “There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it. “It ruins your lap, ruins your qualifying. It put Yuki out in qualifying, he was P1 in Q1. “Nobody seems to care enough. It has happened a lot this season, it has happened to me quite a few times – especially with certain teams – but it is down to the driver to look in the mirror. “I will probably block someone this weekend now and make myself look stupid.” There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it Lando Norris Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both among the cars held up by Verstappen’s wait at the pit exit and the seven-time world champion says there has to be more consistency in the decision making. “I didn’t really see them, I was in the pit lane when everyone stopped and I couldn’t see what was happening ahead,” Hamilton said. “We always push and work as closely as we can with the FIA to achieve consistency and there are some variations so we have to continue to work on that.” Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who also held up, added: “I was a bit surprised (there was not a stronger penalty), especially with the one in the pit lane as that could open some quite bad situations in the future. “It is always an open discussion with the FIA, trying to explain what our point of view is. I am sure we will have that discussion at the briefing.” Verstappen, who arrives in Japan with a 151-point lead in the drivers’ championship, feels that every incident has to be judged individually by the stewards. He said: “Every single instance is different. “The only thing I can say about Singapore is that I explained what happened when I was sitting in the car and the information that was given to me. “That is all I can do and it is up to the stewards to make that call.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying

The Asian Games are an attention grabber

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad during a visit to the world’s No. 2

Héctor Herrera and Griffin Dorsey scored first-half goals and the Houston Dynamo breezed to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps

Joshua Palacios hit a three-run homer in a seven-run fourth inning and the Chicago Cubs’ postseason drive remained stalled with their sixth loss in seven games, 13-7 to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Lionel Messi's return to the pitch was short-lived after the Argentine superstar was subbed off in the 37th minute of Inter Miami's match against Toronto FC on Wednesday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.