Sunderland and England midfielder Adam Johnson has been bailed until March 18 after being arrested on Monday on suspicion of having sex with an under-age girl, the BBC reported on Tuesday. . Sunderland have suspended Johnson while police investigations are ongoing. . The 27-year-old, who has won 12 England caps, played for Manchester City for two years from 2010-12 before joining Sunderland, his hometown club.
Author: David F.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique refused to be drawn on Tuesday over Luis Suarez’s petulant reaction to being substituted in the weekend win over Granada. . Suarez, who scored one goal and was involved in the other two in a 3-1 victory over the Andalusian side, was clearly not happy as he walked off the pitch to be replaced by Pedro Rodriguez in the closing stages. . But ahead of the King’s Cup semifinal second leg against Villarreal, Luis Enrique said it was not a worry for Suarez to be substituted late in a game. . “I’m not looking at what…
British police said on Monday they had launched an investigation into reports of racist behaviour by Chelsea fans, weeks after their supporters were filmed blocking a black man from boarding a Paris Metro train. . British Transport Police were called to deal with claims that fans were behaving in a racist and abusive manner on a train from London to Manchester, northwest England. . Officers boarded the train in Stoke, central England, and asked four men to leave, according to a police spokesman. Four more fans left voluntarily. . “Shortly after 10.30pm on Sunday, 1 March, officers were called to…
Head coach of Nigeria’s Under-20 team Manu Garba has stressed that the Flying Eagles are going to Senegal with the intention of winning the title at the 2015 Africa Under-20 championship. . The Flying Eagles will kick off their campaign on March 8 against hosts Senegal in the opening game of Group A at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor. . Manu has now thrown down the gauntlet as the Flying Eagles begin their assault for glory in a potentially tricky preliminary group that also includes Congo and the Ivory Coast. . “We are going there (Senegal) to win the trophy,…
Head coach of Nigeria’s Under-20 team Manu Garba has stressed that the Flying Eagles are going to Senegal with the intention of winning the title at the 2015 Africa Under-20 championship. . The Flying Eagles will kick off their campaign on March 8 against hosts Senegal in the opening game of Group A at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor. . Manu has now thrown down the gauntlet as the Flying Eagles begin their assault for glory in a potentially tricky preliminary group that also includes Congo and the Ivory Coast. . “We are going there (Senegal) to win the trophy,…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini says he is under no pressure from the club’s owners despite a recent slump that threatens to leave them without a trophy this season. . The Premier League champions are struggling to keep pace with leaders Chelsea and face an uphill battle to stay in the Champions League after last week’s chastening 2-1 home defeat by Barcelona in the last 16 first leg. . Having lost in the FA Cup to second tier Middlesbrough, the Chilean’s hopes of backing up last season’s title and League Cup with more trophies look slim, leading to inevitable speculation…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says British record signing Angel Di Maria should be given more time to justify his price tag and be judged on his success at Old Trafford. . Di Maria joined United for £59.7m from Real Madrid last summer as part of United’s re-building plans under Van Gaal. . But after an encouraging start to his career in British football, the Argentina international, 27, has struggled to find his best form in a United side, which despite occupying a top-four place in the Premier League has also stuttered at times. . Di Maria was substituted…
The 2022 Africa Cup of Nations will be moved to accommodate plans for the Qatar World Cup to be played in the winter. . A FIFA task force yesterday recommended that the Qatar tournament be played in November and December to avoid the roasting summer temperatures. . This would disrupt clubs and leagues throughout Europe, but also the AFCON which was expected to be held in Guinea in January 2023. . FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke confirmed at a press conference in Doha on Wednesday that the tournament would instead take place in June of the same year. . Ivory…
Roberto Martinez wishes Everton were not Britain’s last remaining cub in the Europa League but is still looking forward to Friday’s last-16 draw. . Everton beat Young Boys 3-1 at Goodison Park on Thursday night to secure a comfortable 7-2 win on aggregate. . “It is a shame there is no more British representation but we’re looking forward to the draw,” Martinez said. . The Merseysiders are flying the flag after Liverpool, Tottenham and Celtic all exited the competition on Thursday. . Everton striker Romelu Lukaku followed up his hat- trick in the 4-1 win in Switzerland with a brace…
Arsene Wenger needs to change his style and be more confrontational if he is to have more success, says former Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre. . The Gunners boss was criticised after his side’s shock 3-1 defeat at home to Monaco in the Champions League. . Silvestre, 37, who won the Champions League with Manchester United, believes Wenger is too relaxed with his players. . “It brings confusion because they don’t take responsibility,” he told BBC Radio 5 live. . “They have let the manager down and let themselves down. Sometimes it’s better to tell things straight away. . “He will…
Celtic battled stoically in the San Siro before succumbing to a stunning late strike from Inter’s Fredy Guarin. . Any chance the Scottish champions had of progressing looked to have been extinguished when Virgil van Dijk was shown a first-half red card. But Celtic did not crumble and remained in the tie until Guarin’s fine finish. . Despite the disappointment of their exit, Ronny Deila can take comfort from his side’s ability to compete with the Milanese over two legs. . Celtic’s Jason Denayer and Nir Bitton were defensively outstanding as Celtic spent most of the second half camped around…
Tottenham must recover quickly from their Europa League loss to Fiorentina before Sunday’s League Cup final against Chelsea, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino. . Spurs lost 2-0 after an error-strewn display in Florence and were eliminated 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 32. . “We need to recover quickly, because on Sunday we have another game,” the Argentine said. . “This one was the first final for us but we need to look forwards.” . Pochettino said a glaring first-half miss by striker Roberto Soldado was a decisive moment in the tie. . “It is true that it was…
Romelu Lukaku scored two goals to reach a total of five in the tie as Everton cruised past Young Boys to progress to the Europa League last 16. . The Belgian striker followed up his hat-trick in the 4-1 win in Switzerland with two more after Sekou Sanogo had given the visitors the lead. . Kevin Mirallas then made it 3-1 before the break as Everton ensured a safe passage into Friday’s last-16 draw. .They are now the only British side remaining in the Europa League. . The Merseysiders are flying the flag after Liverpool, Tottenham and Celtic all exited…
Tottenham exited the Europa League after an error-strewn 2-0 defeat by Fiorentina gave the Italian side a 3-1 aggregate win. . Mario Gomez raced clear after a second-half mistake by Federico Fazio and slid the ball under Hugo Lloris. Chelsea loanee Mohamed Salah sealed the win after a blunder by Jan Vertonghen. . Spurs needed to score in Florence, but were unable to make a breakthrough, with striker Roberto Soldado wasting a golden first-half opportunity. . The Spanish striker was played clean through by Erik Lamela’s swept pass after Spurs broke quickly from a corner, but he scuffed his attempt…
European champions Real Madrid will be aiming to maintain their recent winning form when they host high-flying Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. . Barca’s shock 1-0 defeat to Malaga last weekend allowed Madrid to open up a healthy advantage thanks to their best La Liga performance in some time in a 2-0 win over Elche. . World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo scored his side’s second at the Martinez Valero to end a three-game La Liga goal drought and open up a three-goal lead over Lionel Messi in their personal dual for the Pichichi top goalscorer award.…
Cologne’s Peter Stoeger admits they may need a miracle at Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Friday with the Bavarian giants scoring 16 goals without reply in recent league games. . Bayern have not conceded a goal in any of their last three league matches, their 8-0 hammering of Hamburg and last Saturday’s 6-0 pounding of Paderborn leaving Pep Guardiola’s side eight points clear. . With second-placed Wolfsburg at resurgent Werder Bremen on Sunday, with both sides unbeaten in their first five games of 2015, Bayern could well extend their lead unless mid-table Cologne pull off a shock. . That will…
Getafe coach Quique Sanchez Flores unexpectedly quit the La Liga club on Thursday citing ‘personal reasons’ about which he did not elaborate. . “I want to communicate to you my decision today to stand down as Getafe coach,” Sanchez Flores was quoted as saying in Spanish media. . “It is a personal decision, the product of deep reflection which will allow me to avoid situations which at the time did not make me happy,” he added. . Getafe are 13th in La Liga, four points above the relegation zone.
The Premier League can attract mega riches from global broadcasters but first Manchester City and now Arsenal have proved to be poor ambassadors for the self-proclaimed best league in the world in the Champions League this week. . Richard Scudamore, the league’s chief executive, complained the loudest when plans for a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022 were announced on Tuesday claiming the ‘integrity’ of his competition would be harmed by a mid-season break. . But City and Arsenal jointly combined to undermine his claims of grandeur with damaging defeats in the first legs of the knockout stage of…
Manchester United’s 20-year-old defender Tyler Blackett has signed a two-year contract extension, the Premier League giants announced on Thursday. . Blackett, a product of United’s youth academy, was handed his debut against Swansea City on the opening day of the season and has since gone on to make a further nine appearances for the club. . “I am delighted that Tyler has signed a new contract,” said United manager Louis van Gaal on the club website. “He is another young player that has risen through the academy system to break into the first-team squad this season.” . Blackett added: “I…
Newcastle United midfielder Jonas Gutierrez could make his first Premier League appearance after recovering from testicular cancer against Aston Villa on Saturday, manager John Carver said. . The 31-year-old had surgery in his native Argentina in September to remove his left testicle after the discovery of a tumour and received chemotherapy treatment. . Gutierrez, who has scored 10 goals in 177 league appearances for Newcastle since joining the club in 2008, last made a first-team appearance while on loan at Norwich City in April. . “I’m going to bring Jonas Gutierrez into the squad, and there’s a possibility he could…