List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

As long as 30 minutes after the game, and at least 30m from the Arsenal dressing room, you could still hear the raucous celebrations inside. The cheers were especially audible as the door to the media room swung open and Mikel Arteta came in for his press conference, when he eventually allowed himself to smile – and quite widely. “A great feeling,” the Arsenal manager said after his side’s 1-0 win over Manchester City, which represented his first points against his former employers, not to mention his club’s first points at all against the champions since April 2017. “You could sense, it’s been so many years without beating them. “They were all dancing and super happy. They go into the international break and the mood is much better. They’re gonna have a few days off, the ones who are not involved, and it just sends everybody away until the next game against Chelsea with the right feeling. It’s great so I’m really happy.” If these sound like the sort of scenes usually reserved for when a trophy is won, that is kind of the point. It’s all about taking this team closer to that first Premier League since 2004. Arteta has taken them step by step over the last four years, and we’re now at the point where it’s truly decisive moves rather than the earlier strides. It was why this was so important. If you are going to actually beat a team as powerful as this Manchester City in the title race, you obviously need to beat them on the pitch, and in the league. Arteta naturally tried to play down its exact psychological significance, but he couldn’t but admit this was important. His interpretations of previous games were maybe a bit generous but that was understandable. “I don’t know if it was a barrier. Obviously it was something we needed to go through. To beat them we have to lose against them, we have to lose probably the way we lost at the Etihad. The team showed a real maturity today, that comes from experiences. Sometimes you need that to become a better team.” That is probably what Arsenal are, even if their points return is worse than this point last season. They are clearly a more substantial team, with more conviction, as a season like last year will ensure. It was an arrival, even if it ended in frustrating fashion. It ultimately proved Arsenal are at that level again. The summer signings have since been about giving them more dimensions. It is one of the more interesting elements of Arsenal’s start to the campaign, as well as what might have been lift-off for Kai Havertz. Arsenal clearly hit on a superb first XI last season, which propelled their campaign for months. The issue was it eventually left Arteta in a bind. He could either persevere with the XI, at the cost of energy given how little they were rested, or he could change up but also remove some of the verve. He tried to do a bit of both in the end, and they somewhat inevitably ran out of steam. Since then, Arteta has obviously been trying to give them more depth, but also variety. Havertz was about exactly this. Arteta will especially enjoy his contribution, the pass to Gabriel Martinelli for the goal coming as it did just minutes after the German came on. It looked simple but was about his spatial awareness and presence of mind. The effect of just doing that can’t be discounted either – as with the win. Arsenal will believe, even more than before. Nobody should believe this is going to be the City for the rest of the season of course. They have some huge absences, especially with Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne. They will return and both the team and Erling Haaland will inevitably go on the sort of run they did last season at least once. Arsenal should be more equipped to go that bit further, to get more points. That was what the celebrations felt like they were about, at least in part. The team is that bit closer to completion. Read More Mikel Arteta hails ‘fantastic’ young Arsenal side as they break Man City hex Arteta provides Saka injury update and rules Arsenal star out for England Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hails ‘maturity’ of young Gunners after City win Gabriel Martinelli snatches last-gasp victory for Arsenal against Man City Fortune favours Arsenal as Mikel Arteta finally outdoes Pep Guardiola Pep Guardiola says he learned ‘a lot’ from Mikel Arteta ahead of Sunday reunion

Flag football took a key step toward becoming an Olympic sport in 2028, a victory for the NFL and organizers in Los Angeles who will bring a distinctly American sport into the world’s largest sports festival

There's a longstanding question in sports that scientists have tried to answer: Which playing surface is safer for athletes: natural grass or artificial turf

When Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury just a few plays into his first season with the New York Jets, it reignited calls from NFL players to have all the stadiums in which they play use natural grass fields for their safety

Artificial turf has come a long way since since it was introduced on a grand stage to the sports world in 1966 at the Astrodome in Houston

The Atlanta Falcons have renewed reason to believe they can end their streak of five straight losing seasons

KSI and Tommy Fury will meet in the boxing ring on Saturday, in what is set to be one of the biggest fights of the year. KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji) rose to fame on YouTube and has since ventured into rapping, boxing and business – the latter via his Prime energy drink company, which he launched with former opponent Logan Paul. The Briton’s next in-ring challenge comes against compatriot Fury, a former Love Island contestant and the half-brother of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. Neither KSI, 30, nor Fury, 24, has been beaten – though the latter has greater professional experience. In the co-main event, Paul will be in action against fellow American Dillon Danis, a former teammate of UFC star Conor McGregor. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the event? The fights are set to take place on Saturday 14 October at the AO Arena in Manchester. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Paul vs Danis is likely to take place at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET), with ring walks for KSI vs Fury expected at 11.30pm BST (3.30pm PT, 5.30pm CT, 6.30pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will air live on Dazn pay-per-view, at a cost of £19.99 in the UK and $54.99 in the US. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds KSI – 5/2; Fury – 2/7 Paul – 2/9; Danis – 3/1 Full odds via William Hill. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) • KSI vs Tommy Fury • Logan Paul vs Dillon Danis • Salt Papi vs Slim Albaher • Deen The Great vs Walid Sharks II • King Kenny vs Anthony Taylor • Whindersson Nunes vs My Mate Nate • NichLmao & Alex Wassabi vs Luis Alcaraz Pineda & BDave • Astrid Wett vs Alexia Grace • Swarmz vs Ryan Taylor II • Chase DeMoor vs Tempo Arts S-X vs DTG Read More Who is KSI? From ‘endearing’ class clown to YouTuber who has changed the face of boxing Tommy Fury explains why he has ‘never been fan’ of KSI ahead of crunch boxing match Let’s get ready to rumble! Inside the ropes with boxing’s ring announcers What time does Logan Paul vs Dillon Danis start this weekend? How to watch Logan Paul vs Dillon Danis online and on TV this weekend What time does KSI vs Tommy Fury start this weekend?

European Central Bank Governing Council member Pablo Hernandez de Cos said the effect of unprecedented interest-rate increases since

So vertiginous were the heights scaled by Newcastle on Wednesday, with their 4-1 dismantling of Paris Saint-Germain, it was almost inevitable that Eddie Howe's men would be brought down to earth at the London Stadium, forced to dig deep to eke out a result against a resilient West Ham. The Magpies could have picked up a fifth straight win, in fact, had a brilliant late equaliser from Hammers’ substitute Mohammed Kudus not rescued a point for the home team. It was a fair result. Where Newcastle were full of cunning and elan against PSG, here on a sunny Sunday in east London they were visibly running on empty, deservedly going into the break 1-0 down. West Ham, like their opponents, had been in action midweek, but David Moyes was able to make five changes from their 2-1 win at Freiburg. No such luxury for Howe: Sven Botman, Joelinton, Joe Willock and Harvey Barnes all remain on the treatment table, while Callum Willson – scorer of 12 goals in 13 games against West Ham over the years – was reduced to a late cameo here, so determined is the manager not to rush his No 9 back from injury. That they were stretched showed right from the outset. Gone was the usual high intensity; in its stead was a lethargy that allowed Emerson Palmieri in on the left, with Jamal Lascelles caught out of position. The Italian international was able to nip the ball beyond Nick Pope, the Newcastle keeper having hurtled off his line, before squaring to Tomas Soucek for an easy tap in. It was the defibrillator the game needed. The Europa Conference League champions were buoyant, with James Ward-Prowse winning the midfield battle and 33-year-old Michail Antonio, back in the side after a hip injury, causing problems for a defence that had kept Kylian Mbappe at bay only a few days earlier. Newcastle, on the other hand, continued to stumble soporifically through the first 40 minutes. There was no composure. No urgency. When Sean Longstaff lofted a pass into the stands, most Newcastle fans would have settled for a point there and then. Bruno Guimaraes, so often the fulcrum around which Newcastle operate, was not on his game – and was very fortunate to still be on the field. The Brazilian was booked for tripping Emerson; 90 seconds later, he somehow evaded a second card for scything down Ward-Prowse. Even Alan Shearer, on Match of the Day, admitted Guimaraes should have seen red. As half-time approached, though, the visitors began to show flickers of life. Miguel Almiron, cutting in from the right, curled a rasping shot just over the crossbar. Soon after, the Paraguayan won a free-kick from which Dan Burn’s glancing header slipped narrowly wide of the post. But Howe’s verdict was accurate: “Really tough first half for us,” he said. “We weren’t ourselves. We just didn’t have much rhythm in the game.” They regained some after the interval. Kieran Trippier increasingly found himself in space down the right, while Guimaraes was now in his groove, adding vim and ballast to the midfield. The passing was crisp; Newcastle’s confidence grew. Even more so after Edson Álvarez headed wide for West Ham from Ward-Prowse’s corner. When Alphonse Areola was called upon to make a fine save to deny Burn after the left back climbed to meet Alexander Isak’s beautiful dink to the far post, an equaliser seemed nigh. It was. Lucas Paquetá was adjudged to have fouled Bruno Tonali – a decision that left Moyes furious – and Trippier's resulting free kick fell to Isak via Alvarez’s clearing header. The Swede made no mistake, calmly slotting past Areola. He had his second shortly after. Guimaraes, collecting the ball infield, sprayed a sublime 30-yard pass to the right to Trippier, whose volleyed cross was even better, leaving Isak with the simplest of finishes. It was Newcastle at their free-flowing best. As “Geordie boys, taking the p**s”, rang out from from the away end, West Ham looked rattled, their defence yanked out of shape. Isak, whose performance Howe described as “magnificent”, should have had a hat-trick and taken his tally for the season to eight, level with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. Put through by Burn, the 24-year-old rounded Areola but saw his shot from an acute angle ricochet off the post. Naturally, it was a turning point. As was the case when the Toon lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the dying moments at the end of August, Newcastle’s profligacy came back to haunt them. In the last minute of normal time, Kudus, signed from Ajax for £37m in the summer, popped up on the edge of the box to smash the ball past a despairing Pope. That the Ghana forward was able to get his shot away despite a heavy first touch – Tonali failed to get a block in – was clearly a source of irritation for Howe. “I’m really disappointed we didn’t get over the line,” he said. “We’ve made a couple of mistakes and got punished.” Certainly, if Newcastle are to replicate their success of last season, they will need to improve at seeing out games. Still, it's a measure of how imperious they have been since losing 3-1 at Brighton before the last international break that a point away at seventh-placed West Ham seems like a missed opportunity. “It’s been a brilliant spell for us,” said Howe, whose side are now unbeaten in seven, having won five of those matches. “When you go back to the Brighton game, there was a response needed. We needed to come back after the break and build our confidence back and get results. We’ve done that and some really.” For David Moyes, whose side were eviscerated 5-1 in last season’s corresponding fixture, there were plenty of positives, particularly the character they showed right to the end. “I’m actually quite pleased with a point,” he admitted. Come the end of the season, you’d expect, on reflection, Newcastle fans will feel the same. Read More West Ham United vs Newcastle United LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction Eddie Howe says becoming Newcastle head coach was ‘life-changing’ Newcastle defender Tino Livramento returns to England Under-21s squad

Australia and New Zealand are scrambling to come up with solutions to name the 14 stadiums necessary for a World Cup 2034 bid in time for the 31 October deadline, potentially clearing the way for Saudi Arabia even more. Fifa's requirements state that all of the stadiums must have a capacity of at least 40,000 seats, but there are currently only 11 that fit that profile across the two countries. What's more, some of the Australian stadiums that meet the criteria are cricket ovals, with sightlines that aren't really suitable for football. The bidding documents do state that only four of the named venues need to be "existing stadiums" but it is naturally asking a lot to secure construction commitments in the 26 days between the bidding process opening and closing. The circumstances have brought further commentary within the game that the 2034 bidding has almost been set up as a fait accompli for Saudi Arabia, and they had their potential bid ready to go once the process was announced. With Jordan Henderson and Saudi Pro League players backing the bid. The country is currently undergoing a huge sporting expansion, and staging the World Cup is seen as a huge part of Mohammed Bin Salman's 'Vision 2030'. Although the 2030 event had initially been the target, Saudi Arabia was politically outmanoeuvred by the initial Portugal-Spain bid, as Morocco was brought in to split the African vote. The fact it was the centenary of the competition only strengthened the idea of a cross-continental event, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay subsequently brought in for the opening games. Saudi Arabia instead decided to shift all energy to a 2034 bid, in which the rules behind continental rotation mean that World Cup can only be held in Asia or Oceania. It makes Australia-New Zealand the only likely competitor for 2034, although with increasing complications. A statement from Football Australia CEO James Johnson read: “As stated previously, Football Australia is exploring the possibility of bidding for the 2029 Fifa Club World Cup and/or the Fifa World Cup 2034. We acknowledge Fifa’s communication regarding the Fifa World Cup 2034 and we are encouraged that after the hugely successful Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 and Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the football family of Asia and Oceania will once again have the opportunity to showcase their ability to welcome the world and host the best Fifa tournaments.” The reference to the Asia football family has been interpreted as instructive by involved figures. Another complicated solution for Australia and New Zealand is to potentially bring in a third partner, but that would inevitably have to be a country from thousands of miles away in the Asian Football Confederation. It is understood that the body have made it clear Saudi Arabia is their preferred choice, putting off any bid from Japan and Korea. The prohibitive circumstances also illustrate how limiting a 48-team competition is going to be in finding hosts in the future. Read More 2030 World Cup will be hosted by six countries across three continents, Fifa announces FIFA set to approve letting Russian youth soccer national teams return to competition Gareth Southgate questions ‘integrity’ of 2030 World Cup format Fifa clears the way for Saudi Arabia to host 2034 World Cup Jordan Henderson plays the tool on road to Saudi Arabia’s inevitable World Cup Gareth Southgate positive about UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028

The race for the Formula One title is officially over but there are still five rounds of the season to go

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s emergence as a team leader and one of the NHL’s top offensive blue-line threats last season earned him an eight-year, $88 million contract extension