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...
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...
Bona-fide giantkilling seems to be a thing of the past, with bigger teams, Liverpool and Leeds last time out, often making multiple changes and all-but encouraging the smaller ones to put them out of their miseryWho needs a winter break when the FA Cup makes a perfectly good substitute? Everton are sunning themselves in Dubai, Liverpool re-enacting a pre-season (Jürgen Klopp’s words) at La Manga, while Sunderland have been testing their supporters’ patience by flying to New York for a team-bonding session.All of these jollies and a few more were made possible by early exits from the FA Cup. Given that other teams might suffer should Liverpool come back with batteries charged and deliver on their promise to win every...
Liverpool’s defence needs to find cohesion fast, Lincoln felt the force with Alan Power and Bastian Schweinsteiger is welcomed back by José MourinhoIt was an afternoon when the ball would not go in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Chelsea attacking midfielder was twice denied by the Brentford goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley, and, when he clipped over him on 58 minutes, the effort came back off the crossbar. Loftus-Cheek had two other moments when he jinked inside the area but could not find a finish. It was, nonetheless, an eye-catching performance from the 21-year-old – in front of the watching England manager, Gareth Southgate – in which he advertised both his power and the deftness of his touch. Could it offer him a...