Heads on the block in sack race: Once renowned for being fat and round and bouncing on the ground Sammy Lee was nonetheless an Anfield favourite during his playing days. His fledgling managerial career, however, is not winning such bonhomie among Bolton fans and after two defeats in his first two matches the amiable Liverpudlian...
Tiger can sound Ebor roar: Luca Cumani has sent out the winner of the totesport Ebor twice in the last decade - Mephisto in 2004 and Vicious Circle in '99 - and the Newmarket-based handler holds a strong hand if the antepost market for this prestigious handicap is anything to go by, with his charges Purple Moon (a best-...
Home winner in Scandinavia?: In its 16-year history there has been a home winner of the Scandinavian Masters on three previous occasions and there is every chance that the Swedish flags will be waving atop the Arlandastad Golf Club to fete another local winner. Sweden will be well-represented this week as two-time winner...
Essex to remember the good times: If England thought they had injury problems with their bowling line up, then they should cast a glance in the direction of Nottinghamshire whose season could be ruined by fitness problems. Nottinghamshire's bid for the Division Two Championship pennant has faded, their Twenty20 hopes were crushed...
England need old faces to return: If Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard - Steve Harmison even - were important to England before the 1-0 series reverse against India, then they became crucial in the aftermath. England badly missed the three bowlers as they were forced to go in with an inexperienced attack against one of the most...
UCL: Celtic set for European struggle: As Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic and Rangers prepare for their Uefa Champions League third round qualifiers this week, it is reasonable to expect three of the British clubs to win through to the group stage in a fortnight's time. The writing could be on the wall, though, for the Scottish champions...
Spurs facing sticky situation: Spurs welcome Everton to White Hart Lane on Tuesday night knowing that anything but a win, and some goals, will cast further doubt on whether the side have real designs on a top four finish this season. It seems odd to say that the pressure is on Martin Jol and his Spurs team in only the second...
Changes afoot for United: The 2007-08 Premier League is but a match old and already we have new title favourites. Changes are, quite literally, afoot in the outright market following the misfortune that befell Manchester United and more specifically Wayne Rooney at the weekend. Rooney sustained his third broken foot in as...
That was the weekend that was: Football: three of big four winPremier League football returned with William Hill predicting over £2.5 billion would be gambled this season. A slice of that money would have been riding on a Manchester United home win but punters were left disappointed as they failed to beat 10-man Reading and lost...
Twenty20 fails to ignite interest: Punters who have taken ante-post prices about South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and India for the inaugural World Twenty20 next month, could be forgiven for feeling cheesed off. The four countries have named their squads for the event, which takes place in South Africa, and there is a distinct...