This season 11 of Premier League’s 20 teams have shirts sponsored by betting companies – is it healthy the gambling industry is so deeply embedded in our national sport?Wayne Shaw has made a fool out of himself. In fulfilling the terms of Sun Bet’s promotional punt – roly-poly goalie to eat pie during FA Cup tie – the Sutton United reserve made it seem like he was either breaking rules on gambling or moonlighting in marketing for a bookmaker. Neither is a good look. He damaged by association the club he loves and they were well within their rights to ask him to resign.The furore over “Pie-gate” has as much of a whiff about it as the stunt that went...
Manager has time to relax as Arsenal’s much-changed team avoid major upset against non-league Sutton United to reach FA Cup quarter-finalsFor all the talk of Cup magic this was in the end an orderly out-ground experience for Arsenal, a 2-0 fifth-round victory that felt by the end like a gently convalescent night out in the southern suburbs. Gander Green Lane is a clattery low rise lodged between rows of pebble-dashed semis, its edges marked out by a row of scaffold-pole huts and the remains of a venerable wood and ironwork stand. Before kick-off Arsène Wenger could be seen signing autographs in the car park, smiling fondly on the touchline and generally looking like a man rather enjoying being in such...
The podders look back on an historic weekend in the FA Cup. Plus, Manchester City look to stop Monaco’s awesome attack, while Leicester head to Sevilla Subscribe and review: iTunes, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast & Stitcher. And join the discussion on Facebook and TwitterJames Richardson returns to the helm for this edition of Football Weekly, ably assisted by Barry Glendenning, Iain Macintosh and Paolo Bandini. Continue reading...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was Manchester United’s match-winner again, Burnley were tormented by Lincoln and themselves, and Arsenal need to pitch in at SuttonZlatan Ibrahimovic was the match-winner again for Manchester United and his late goal against Blackburn Rovers was another fine and composed finish to add to his season’s collection. That made it 24 goals in all competitions and the Swede has now scored in the FA Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France. For United, he has been a stellar signing and there is a reason why the prolific forward can get away with statements such as the one after his midweek hat-trick against St Etienne when he declared: “Wherever I went I won, so I am...
Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford are quick off the starting blocks in FA Cup tie at Ewood ParkThe sight of Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford lining up surely thrilled the Manchester United purist. This fifth-round tie was the first time José Mourinho fielded a quartet that could claim to be English football’s fleetest. Factor in the rawness of Martial, Rashford and Lingard, plus Mkhitaryan’s street-wise football brain, and this was a cocktail to quicken pulses by offering a glimpse of United’s future.Lingard threw down a first marker by motoring along the right, leaving Craig Conway a spectator, and finding Mkhitarayan who in turn fed Rashford. He and Lingard were in the XI...