List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

England captain Jos Buttler believes the “integrity of the game” could be compromised by the state of the outfield in Dharamshala for his team’s match against Bangladesh at the Cricket World Cup on Tuesday

Pep Guardiola lost back-to-back Premier League games for only the third time as Manchester City went down 1-0 to Arsenal on Sunday. It has happened only six times in all competitions for City under Guardiola and here, the PA news agency looks at the Spaniard’s overall managerial record. No points from six Gabriel Martinelli’s winner for Arsenal followed Hwang Hee-chan’s for Wolves against City last weekend. It was the first time City had taken no points from a pair of league games since losing to Crystal Palace and Leicester across Christmas 2018. Luka Milivojevic’s penalty proved decisive for Palace before Kevin De Bruyne cut the final margin to 3-2, and Leicester then overcame Bernardo Silva’s Boxing Day opener to win 2-1 through Marc Albrighton and Ricardo Pereira. The Foxes were also the team to inflict City’s second successive loss in December 2016, Jamie Vardy with a hat-trick as Claudio Ranieri’s side won 4-2. Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho were suspended after late red cards as City lost their previous game 3-1 to Chelsea. Long run at an end Before this weekend, City were out on their own in terms of time without back-to-back Premier League defeats. Ten teams had suffered that fate this season – Burnley, Sheffield United and Bournemouth most recently, plus West Ham, Brentford, Luton, Manchester United, Wolves, Newcastle and Everton. Eight more of the 20 current top-flight sides – Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Crystal Palace – lost back-to-back games earlier in 2023. The one other exception, Brighton, last did so in October of last year – almost four years more recently than City, whose run since Boxing Day 2018 stood at 178 games. City host Brighton in their next game after the international break. Three in a row Albion will be the team looking to inflict a first hat-trick of Premier League defeats on Guardiola, whose team are alone in losing no more than two in a row since his arrival in 2016. Arsenal and Spurs are closest with their longest run being three defeats. Fulham had the longest losing run overall, nine games, with eight for Sheffield United and Palace. Guardiola has twice lost three in a row across all competitions with City, first in April 2018 when a 3-2 league defeat to a Paul Pogba-inspired Manchester United was sandwiched between losses in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. The other sequence spanned three competitions and two seasons – the 2021 Champions League final against Chelsea followed by the Community Shield against Leicester and the 2021-22 Premier League opener at Tottenham. The recent Wolves loss came on the back of a Carabao Cup exit against Newcastle, while the December 2018 Premier League defeats were uninterrupted by any other competition. The other pairs came in early 2020, to Manchester United in the League Cup and Tottenham in the league, and January of this year when Southampton knocked them out of the Carabao Cup – and denied them a shot at a quadruple – before the Red Devils beat them in the league. Long-term pattern for Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side lost back-to-back LaLiga games only twice in four seasons, both in 2009 – first to Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, then Mallorca and Osasuna. They also lost Champions League and league games consecutively twice, to Wisla Krakow and Numancia in his second and third games in charge in 2008 and to Chelsea and Real Madrid in April 2012. With Bayern Munich in May 2015, he suffered consecutive defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg domestically and Barca in the Champions League. They won the return leg of that tie but Freiburg then made it three straight league defeats. His only other consecutive Bundesliga losses came in April 2014 against Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund. Read More Beating Manchester City will only boost Arsenal’s belief – Gabriel Martinelli John Eustace sacked amid reports Birmingham keen to make Wayne Rooney manager Ireland wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe on mend ahead of New Zealand showdown Jos Buttler concerned by ‘poor’ outfield ahead of England clash with Bangladesh Football rumours: Wayne Rooney in the running for Birmingham job Quarterback Brock Purdy stars as San Francisco 49ers thrash the Dallas Cowboys

Gabriel Martinelli says Arsenal’s inherent belief will only be boosted by beating champions Manchester City as Mikel Arteta’s men look to go one step further than last season. The Gunners captured the imagination during a strong 2022-23 campaign, only to ultimately finish second as Pep Guardiola’s side scooped a third straight title in a storming end to the season. Arsenal’s inability to take a point off them was key in them finishing second and Sunday saw them finally beat City in the league for the first time since 2015, building on their Community Shield shoot-out triumph against the treble winners. The half-time introduction of Martinelli after three weeks out with a hamstring injury proved inspired, adding extra impetus to the attack before eventually hitting a late winner that deflected in off Nathan Ake to seal a 1-0 victory. “We know how hard it is to play against them,” the Brazil international said. “It was a great performance from the team and a great win. “Of course (it gives us more belief we can win this season’s title). We are Arsenal and we are always believing about the title. “To win against a big side like them is great and we just need to carry on. “A special day for me. I tried my best, really hard, to be back with the team and it was a great moment for me. “It’s always good to win against the big teams and we did it today. I’m so happy.” Arsenal remain unbeaten eight league matches into the season and are level in terms of points and goal difference with leaders Tottenham, with their bitter rivals only ahead on goals scored. “When you play for Arsenal you have to always believe and this is what we do,” Martinelli said as they look to bring the Premier League title back to north London for the first time since 2004. “We play for Arsenal and we always believe we can win the titles. “It’s another year. We’re going to try to improve things and try to do better than last year. “Yeah, I think (there is more depth). We have a great team and it’s important to have a lot of options.” Sunday’s victory win was made all the more impressive by the fact Arsenal’s star man Bukayo Saka was missing, with a muscle injury ending his run of 87 successive Premier League appearances. “We know our potential,” Martinelli said. “We know his potential and how important he is for us. “Today we did our best, tried to win the game for our fans, for us and for B as well.” Arsenal return to action at Chelsea after the international break, while wounded City look to get their title defence back on track at home to Brighton. Guardiola’s men have lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, including back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time since December 2018. City midfielder Bernardo Silva said: “It’s a setback but it’s still the beginning. We’re far away from the end of the season. “It was not the result we wanted. Against a tough opponent it is never easy to play. “We felt the game was tough for both teams. Both are tough and organised and tense. We had a few chances in the beginning. “In the end it was a deflection. In my opinion we gave them too much time to think at that moment. We have to be more intense in the pressing. “It is what it is. It’s part of football and we move onto the next one.” City struggled to lay a glove on an Arsenal side that they had beaten in 12 consecutive Premier League meetings before Sunday. Guardiola’s men mustered a mere four shots at the Emirates Stadium, but Silva is not getting carried away with the loss or the recent drop off. “Some of these results we were not expecting and we didn’t want them to happen,” he told club media. “Last season we won the treble but there was a point that nothing was going our way. “How you overcome these moments is what defines the team and we will keep fighting for all the games. We’re going for it again.”

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For the third time in nine years Michigan has reached the halfway point of the regular season having given up the fewest points in the Football Bowl Subdivision

The AP Top 25 has stagnated as there have been few big upsets this season

The French rugby federation says France captain Antoine Dupont has been cleared to resume collective training after a positive check-up following surgery on a facial fracture

Leigh Wood savoured the continuation of his “Cinderella story” as he signed off from the featherweight division by retaining his world title with a dramatic stoppage of Josh Warrington. Wood revealed his battle with the scales had been as tough as the fight for the WBA crown in Sheffield, where Warrington’s bullish flurries put him up on the scorecards ahead of the second half of the bout. Nursing a cut and swelling by his right eye, Wood remained composed and flipped the script at the end of the seventh with a savage right hook and a burst of punches that left Warrington flat on his back. Referee Michael Alexander halted the contest despite Warrington’s howls of protestation as Wood celebrated his 28th win from 31 fights, adding another chapter to his late career resurgence. It was not too long ago Wood was fighting down the card on small hall shows, while a points defeat against Jazza Dickens in February 2020 left him short of options at the wrong side of 30. But a year later he was the British champion and, within 18 months of his loss to Dickens, Wood claimed a world title as he reaped the rewards of linking up with Ben Davison, Tyson Fury’s former trainer. The 35-year-old said: “It’s some turnaround, kind of a Cinderella story. My team has changed me as a fighter. I know I wouldn’t have won the world title without them. “I probably wouldn’t have won the British title without them. The time I had before that completely changed me as a fighter, changed my perception on boxing and how I view it and how I operate.” Wood is no stranger to adversity after following up his upset win over Can Xu to become world champion with a stunning final-round stoppage of Michael Conlan last year when behind on the judges’ scorecards. He was brutally stopped by Mauricio Lara in February but went straight back into the lion’s den for a rematch three months later and regained his world title, while his latest win brings plenty of options. A fight at the City Ground, the home of his beloved Nottingham Forest, is the priority, but it will not be another defence of his title as boiling his 5ft 7in frame to nine stone has become too difficult. He said: “This was a great fight, but am I ever in a dull fight? I’m not, so on that basis I think I’ve got the pick of the litter. It's some turnaround, kind of a Cinderella story. My team has changed me as a fighter Leigh Wood “I could give Josh another shot, I’d be open to that, but it wouldn’t be at featherweight, I can’t make it safely any more. Who isn’t really the bigger problem, it’s more where – the City Ground – and when.” Wood was coy when asked whether a City Ground fight would be his last, adding: “I’m 35, I sacrificed lot to get here. “There’s going to be a massive void in my life after boxing so we’ll see. We’ll do the City Ground, but the only other thing I can think of (after that) is a Las Vegas fight.” Warrington came into this showdown having lost his IBF title last December but, in a cauldron-like atmosphere, the Leeds fighter controlled proceedings before the momentum was switched in an instant. After his third defeat in 35 fights, Warrington, who insisted the stoppage was premature, intends to carry on and suggested he will also move up to super-featherweight and pursue a rematch against Wood. He said: “I’m devastated. I was cruising the fight, up on the scorecards and I switched off for a split second. Maybe I got up too quickly, but my senses were all with me, I heard the bell go. “I thought would have been at least given an opportunity to sit down (at the end of the round). I dominated most of those rounds. I just know I’ve still got plenty in the tank. “This was probably my last fight at featherweight, I still make it comfortable but it’s been a long time and my better performances in sparring have come when I’ve been a bit heavier.” Read More Jos Buttler concerned by ‘poor’ outfield ahead of England clash with Bangladesh Football rumours: Wayne Rooney in the running for Birmingham job Quarterback Brock Purdy stars as San Francisco 49ers thrash the Dallas Cowboys On this day in 2015: Sam Allardyce appointed Sunderland manager The sporting weekend in pictures Luke Humphries beats Gerwyn Price to claim first major title at World Grand Prix

Leigh Wood toasted the “best win” of his career after retaining his WBA featherweight title by battling back from a sustained beating to stop British rival Josh Warrington. At a frenzied Sheffield Arena, Warrington was well on the way to becoming a three-time champion at the weight as his relentless bursts of aggression and occasional roughhouse tactics left Wood reeling. But Wood kept his composure in a cauldron-like atmosphere and seized his moment in emphatic fashion as he followed up a stiff right hook with pinpoint combination punching that put Warrington on his back. Warrington rose gamely but unsteadily returned to his corner and as he did not turn round, referee Michael Alexander waved off the contest at the end of the seventh round to the Leeds fighter’s chagrin. “It wasn’t my best performance,” Wood said. “I did feel a bit groggy making the weight but no excuses. “That’s my best win, Josh is a two-time world champion, he has massive scalps on his record and I’m the only Brit to be beat him. “He’s a great fighter – definitely my best scalp. If we do it again then we do it again and if not, we’ll have a new challenge. We’ll see.” Less than two years on from stopping Michael Conlan in the last round when trailing on the cards in a high-profile bout, Wood insisted he can never be discounted after racking up a 28th win from 31 fights. “I don’t know what it is about me – I haven’t got any quit in me,” he said. “It’s never say die. “It’s the same as my career – I didn’t make the best start, I turned it around and got there, it was the same as the Conlan fight. “Write me off all you want, I’m just going to be there to the end and if I can do anything to win, I’ll do it.” A fight at the City Ground, home of his beloved Nottingham Forest, could be next for Wood, who could move up to super-featherweight after admitting boiling down to 126lb was becoming increasingly tough. While three years younger than his conqueror, Warrington’s future is less certain after slumping to his third defeat in 35 bouts, including back-to-back losses in world title fights in just under a year. He immediately protested Alexander’s decision to call a halt to proceedings after belatedly turning round before slumping his head on the referee’s shoulder as he accepted there was no way back. Warrington said afterwards: “I just feel a bit hard done by, it was the end of round, get to my feet, look at my dad with a smile on my face, turn round at (the count of) eight and it’s being waved off.” This fight took place on neutral territory – halfway between Wood’s home city of Nottingham and Warrington’s Leeds – but any return bout will be on the champion’s patch. With Wood insistent a fight at the City Ground is next, promoter Eddie Hearn suggested a rematch against Warrington is a highly tempting option. “It’s going to take a big fight for Leigh Wood at the City Ground,” Hearn said. “I want to see the fight back. “If Josh would have turned round, they would have 100 per cent let the fight carry on. If the ref did call it off at eight, it was too early because he should have given him the opportunity to turn around. “The ref said to me ‘he wouldn’t turn round and if he doesn’t turn round I can’t let him continue’. “When you look at frontrunners for sizes of fights at the City Ground, I think the rematch is probably the biggest one.” Read More Jos Buttler concerned by ‘poor’ outfield ahead of England clash with Bangladesh Football rumours: Wayne Rooney in the running for Birmingham job Quarterback Brock Purdy stars as San Francisco 49ers thrash the Dallas Cowboys On this day in 2015: Sam Allardyce appointed Sunderland manager The sporting weekend in pictures Luke Humphries beats Gerwyn Price to claim first major title at World Grand Prix