Category Archives: Sports

Manchester United have prioritised the signing of Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, 24, this summer – but could change their plans if Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz becomes available. (Manchester Evening News)

Rangers and Celtic would both have ‘B’ teams in the bottom tier of a 14-14-18 league set-up being proposed by the Ibrox club for next season. Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers would also be invited into the SPFL to make up an expanded League One, with the “innovation paper” also suggesting Hearts and Partick Thistle…

Michael Jordan says he will donate $100m (£78m) to groups fighting for racial equality and social justice. The NBA legend said in a statement that he and his Jordan Brand would distribute the money over 10 years.

Serbia winger Aleksandar Katai has left LA Galaxy by mutual consent after his wife posted “racist and violent” messages on social media. Katai’s wife Tea appeared to mock Black Lives Matter protestors and joke about looting in Instagram posts.

Ronnie O’Sullivan says he has “struggled” in the “bubble” surrounding the Championship League tournament, which is being played behind closed doors and in a closed environment. O’Sullivan, 44, returned to action sporting a new moustache and progressed as group winner without losing a frame.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters says he will “fully consider” calls for Newcastle United’s proposed takeover to be blocked. Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has written to the league to oppose the deal.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho has been fined by the German football league after he was pictured getting a home haircut without wearing a mask. The 20-year-old England international’s team-mate Manuel Akanji has also been fined.

World 400m champion Salwa Eid Naser has been given a provisional suspension for failing to make herself available for anti-doping tests. The Bahraini, 22, ran 48.14 seconds – the third-fastest time in history – to claim the world title in Doha in 2019.

Two Benfica players have been taken to hospital after their team bus was attacked following their first behind-closed-doors match. German Julian Weigl and Serbian Andrija Zivkovic were hit with shrapnel and taken to hospital as a precaution.

Worcester Warriors forward Michael Fatialofa has been cleared to return home after five months in hospital following a serious neck injury. It was feared the New Zealand-born flanker, 27, might never walk again after he suffered a broken bone in his neck against Saracens on 4 January.

Chelsea have been named winners of the Women’s Super League title on a points-per-game ratio, while Liverpool have been relegated. When the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Chelsea were one point behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand.

Remember Rafael Nadal’s capris? Or the year his French Open final victory was played across two days? The Spaniard has set records, beat great rivals and worn some memorable outfits on his way to 12 French Open men’s singles titles.

American four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson says current protests following the death of George Floyd have produced “the most momentum around this issue I’ve seen in my lifetime”. Floyd, an unarmed black man, died while being restrained by a white Minneapolis police officer on 25 May.

It seems people have got through the tough times in lockdown by getting themselves into a routine. ‘The new normal’ is the phrase we often hear. That’s certainly been the case for me. I get up early with my son Harry, letting my wife Sarah stay in bed because she’s been with him in the…

The BBC will broadcast Bournemouth v Crystal Palace and Norwich v Everton as the first two of its four free-to-air Premier League games. It is the first time since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 that games will have been shown live by the BBC.

World 400m champion Salwa Eid Naser has been given a provisional suspension for failing to make herself available for anti-doping tests. The Bahraini, 22, ran 48.14 seconds – the third-fastest time in history – to claim the world title in Doha in 2019.

Quadrilateral is the headline name among 15 final declarations for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. The Roger Charlton-trained filly – the daughter of Frankel – has won all three races in her fledging career and will be ridden by 20-year-old Jason Watson.

Favourite Ghaiyyath captured the first British Group One of the season with victory in the Coronation Cup in blustery conditions at Newmarket. Charlie Appleby’s 11-10 five-year-old opened an early lead on good to firm ground and held on over the 12 furlongs to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

Pinatubo will face 14 rivals as the British Classic season finally gets under way on Saturday with the 2,000 Guineas (15:35 BST). Charlie Appleby’s colt was unbeaten in six starts last year and ended the campaign as the highest-rated two-year-old since Celtic Swing in 1994.

Premiership Rugby hopes to resume the 2019-20 season on Saturday, 15 August. There have been no matches played since 8 March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but clubs have been cleared to start non-contact training.