List of All Articles with Tag 'f'

The Brooklyn Nets are clinging tight to Mikal Bridges, even if the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft isavailable.The Brooklyn Netscompletely remade their roster at the trade deadline in February, sending Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for a historically large trade package centered on 3-and-D extrao...

Michael Block continues to wow fans.

Manchester United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League as Erik ten Hag’s men roared to a comprehensive 4-1 victory against wasteful Chelsea. The Dutchman has led the Red Devils to Carabao Cup glory and next month’s FA Cup final during a promising first season that looked certain to end in a top-four finish until a recent wobble. But Ten Hag has righted the ship and United secured a return to European football’s top table with a game to spare as Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored against toothless Chelsea. This was a club record 16th defeat in a 38-match Premier League season for Frank Lampard’s Blues, who saw a bad early Mykhailo Mudryk miss punished by a sixth minute Casemiro header. Further Chelsea chances went begging across the evening, including the miss by Conor Gallagher in first half stoppage time that was followed by Martial scoring. Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and substitute Marcus Rashford’s goal – his 30th of the season in all competitions – wrapped up a victory that was only dampened by Antony’s exit on a stretcher and a late Joao Felix consolation. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Last May, Casemiro won the Champions League. This May, he has qualified for it. It sounds the lesser achievement. A player who played in four Champions League final victories is now mathematically assured of a top-four finish. As Manchester United returned to the top table of European football, it owed much to Casemiro. Over the season, he has been a catalytic force. On the night when they condemned Chelsea to defeat and Liverpool to the Europa League, he was again. United had been short of goals of late but Casemiro started a rout of the 2021 Champions League winners. Erik ten Hag bought a defensive midfielder, but Casemiro has contributed much in attack. He scored the opening goal and helped set up the second with a sand wedge of a pass. Anthony Martial scored it, Bruno Fernandes added a third from the penalty spot before the substitute Marcus Rashford became the first player to score 30 goals in a season for United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. But the name that echoed most around Old Trafford, unsurprisingly, was Casemiro’s. He signed in August after the embarrassment of the 4-0 demolition at Brentford; undeterred, Casemiro has helped lead a revival. United’s season, which began disastrously, will end with Ten Hag in credit. With a trophy in the cabinet and a top-four finish, there is a sense his mission has been accomplished, even if the mood will partly be affected by whether United end Manchester City’s treble hopes in the FA Cup final. There was a pragmatic element to buying Casemiro, paying £63m for a player in his thirties. There was a need for a short-term return on their investment, but United have got it. As Ten Hag had noted on Wednesday, and in relation to Chelsea, money is not enough without strategy. Some £600m later, the Londoners played some enterprising football at Old Trafford but departed with an eighth defeat in 10 matches under Frank Lampard. United instead showed the flair to get four goals and, with Chelsea’s defence disintegrating, could have had twice as many. A third successive win took their tally to 40 victories this season and 29 games unbeaten at Old Trafford. Casemiro is the serial winner who has assumed a symbolic importance. Ten Hag revamped and upgraded United’s midfield last summer and his signings combined effectively. Casemiro’s aerial ability at set-pieces has proved a welcome benefit and he headed in Christian Eriksen’s free kick. Until the Dane was injured in January, he ranked second only to Kevin De Bruyne for assists in the Premier League, and the quality of his delivery has added another dimension. Casemiro had opened his United account against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Bought to give ballast to the midfield, he has proved more prolific than most expected; a seventh goal of the season equalled the best haul of his career. It is a moot point if this was his most important goal for United – he did score in the Carabao Cup final – but the significance of Champions League football means it could be. Jadon Sancho and Martial were particular culprits as United’s attackers took poor decisions and bad touches until, in a moment of redemption, the winger sprang the offside trap to meet Casemiro’s pass and centre for the striker to have a tap-in. Thereafter, Fernandes hit the post after being found by Sancho. Eriksen ought to have added a third from about three yards but was denied by that rarity, a wondrous save by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Fernandes did when tripped by Wesley Fofana, scoring the spot kick himself. Fofana’s traumatic afternoon continued as he gifted the ball to Fernandes. He found Rashford, who ended up rolling the ball in to become the first United player to reach 30 since Robin van Persie. Rashford had come on when Antony was stretchered off, his chances of appearing in the FA Cup final presumably over, head in hands after an innocuous challenge by Trevoh Chalobah. Luke Shaw came off at half-time with a minor back injury that is less likely to rule him out. For Chelsea, the relief may be that there is only one more game to go in a harrowing season. Frank Lampard named Chelsea’s youngest ever team in the Premier League. The youngest of them acquitted himself well: for the second time in five days in Manchester, Lewis Hall was their best player. He twice could have had an assist, inviting crosses bringing an awful miss from Mykhailo Mudryk and a header wide by Kai Havertz, and had a shot parried by David de Gea. Carney Chukwuemeka showed glimpses of talent, too, and the substitute Joao Felix drilled in a consolation goal. But, when Alejandro Garnacho hit the bar, they came perilously close to conceding a fifth. It is little over a year since they faced Casemiro, then with Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final. He will be in the competition again next year. Chelsea certainly won’t be. Read More Erling Haaland aims to cap stunning debut season with Man City by winning treble Manchester United vs Chelsea LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Pep Guardiola: Disallowed Haaland ‘goal’ proves Man City success is on own merit Chelsea the title favourites as Leicester look to survive – WSL talking points How Chelsea match is pivotal to Man Utd’s hopes of signing Mason Mount Rumours: Man Utd in £55m Mount bid as Arsenal consider Smith-Rowe sale

The Chicago Cubs traded Craig Kimbrel to the Chicago White Sox back in 2021. Initially the move looked like a win-win, but is that still the case with Nick Madrigal's struggles?A crosstown trade between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs is rare, but in recent history it's involved...

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson appears to have trimmed down as he embarks on a comeback season following his awful debut in Denver

Patrick Mahomes is quickly ascending the ranks of all-time quarterbacks, but he doesn't put himself in the top five... yet.Patrick Mahomes has accomplished more than your average quarterback by age 27. He's a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time MVP, and a two-time Super Bowl MVP. The Chie...

Veteran tight end Darren Waller seemingly is fitting in well with the New York Giants

A businessman and football club owner convicted of fraudulent trading has lost a civil court fight with a council involved in investigating allegations of mis-selling. Andy Pilley, owner of League One side Fleetwood and chairman of BES Utilities, had been involved in High Court litigation with Cheshire West and Chester Council. BES Utilities and a number of other utility firms based in the Fleetwood and Blackpool areas of Lancashire had sued the council. They made a number of complaints – including an allegation of misfeasance and an allegation that search warrants were obtained unlawfully. Council bosses denied all allegations and a High Court judge has ruled in their favour. Mr Justice Freedman has dismissed claims made against the council. The judge said the case involved “non-domestic energy suppliers based in Fleetwood/Blackpool, Lancashire” working in the “small to medium-sized enterprise business market”. He said the litigation concerned “allegations about mis-selling” which had “brought about a criminal investigation”. Pilley, 52, was found guilty last week of fraudulent trading, fraud by false representation and being involved in the acquisition, retention, use or control of the proceeds of fraudulently mis-sold energy contracts following a trial at Preston Crown Court and will be sentenced on July 3. Three other people were also convicted. Mr Justice Freedman had overseen High Court hearings in London in late 2021 but had ruled that his findings could not be revealed until the crown court trial concluded in case jurors were influenced. The judge released his findings on late on Thursday following the conclusion of that trial. Pilley has been the chairman and owner of Fleetwood for 20 years and has overseen their rise from non-league status to the English Football League. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Chiedozie Ogbene and Alan Browne in race to make Ireland’s Euro 2024 clashes Erling Haaland aims to cap stunning debut season with Man City by winning treble Izzy Christiansen calls it a day – Thursday’s sporting social

Follow live coverage as Manchester United face Chelsea in the Premier League today. The hosts only need a point to make certain of Champions League qualification, which would ensure the club finish ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League’s top four. Ten Hag named an unchanged side and stuck with the same team that beat Bournemouth at the weekend, with top scorer Marcus Rashford returning to the bench after missing recent games. Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk and Carney Chukwuemeka came in for Chelsea as Thiago Silva, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Raheem Sterling dropped out. The latter was absent from the squad entirely due to a hamstring injury. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below: Read More How Erik ten Hag survived stunning lows to lead Manchester United’s unconventional revival Premier League 2022/23 season awards: Best player, manager, transfer flop and breakthrough act How Chelsea match is pivotal to Man Utd’s hopes of signing Mason Mount

Jimmy Pitaro speaks on the Pat McAfee deal.

Chiedozie Ogbene and Alan Browne are facing a race against time to be fit for the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar next month. Frontman Ogbene is working his way back from a hamstring injury suffered during Rotherham’s 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win over Middlesbrough on May 1, while Preston midfielder Browne is continuing his rehabilitation from medial ligament damage sustained at QPR on April 7. Speaking after a four-day training camp with his EFL and League of Ireland-based players in Bristol, manager Stephen Kenny said: “Chiedozie Ogbene had a hamstring tear with Rotherham and hasn’t been able to participate this week, so we’ll have to see how that is. Alan Browne as well, [is] coming back from a medial injury, so these are dilemmas for us.” Ogbene in particular has become a key member of Kenny’s team – he started the 1-0 defeat by World Cup finalists France at the Aviva Stadium in March as Ireland opened their Group B campaign – while Browne has scored against Belgium, Scotland and Norway in the last year or so. The squad is due to be finalised next week – Atletico Madrid defender Matt Doherty will join up after his club’s final LaLiga fixture at Villarreal on June 4 – before preparations begin in earnest. Despite a resilient display against Didier Deschamps’ men, the Republic know they may need to take maximum points from June’s double-header – they face Greece in Athens on Friday, June 16 and Gibraltar in Dublin three days later – if they are to force their way out of a difficult group which also includes the Netherlands. That, however, may prove easier said than done in the heat of the Greek capital – Ireland will spend nine days training in the Turkish resort of Antalya in a bid to acclimatise – and with the hosts having topped their group in Nations League C. Hopefully some of the players can come through some of their injury difficulties and if so, we want to make sure we're ready Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny Kenny said: “Greece are a good team, they won their Nations League group so we’re going to have to really perform to a high level. We need to make sure we are absolutely 100 per cent, and going to Turkey will help us, training in similar conditions, get ourselves ready. “We go to Athens on the Wednesday and play on the Friday against Greece before we come back and play, and I heard that 42,00 have already been sold for Gibraltar, which is fantastic. It would be great to have a full house there if we could on the Monday night. “But at the moment, we’re firmly focused on our preparations for that, and I think that will give us a chance, our preparations here, coming to Bristol, going to Turkey. “Hopefully some of the players can come through some of their injury difficulties and if so, we want to make sure we’re ready.”