Author: moshood

Alex Iwobi rescued a point for Everton in a pulsating 2-2 draw at drop rivals Leicester.

The forward capitalised on Jordan Pickford’s crucial penalty save when he stopped James Maddison making it 3-1 just before the break.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick opened the scoring, his first goal since October, before it was cancelled out by Caglar Soyuncu.

Jamie Vardy’s goal sent Leicester ahead and Maddison missed the chance to put the hosts in control, with Iwobi levelling soon after the re-start.

Everton also lost captain Seamus Coleman to a serious injury to further add to their problems.

Realistically, a point did little to aid either side’s Premier League survival hopes in the short-term, although it did lift Leicester out of the bottom three on goal difference. Everton remain second bottom, a point from safety, with four games left.

May 2 marks the seventh anniversary of the Foxes’ Premier League triumph in 2016.

Five days later, basking in the glory, Leicester battered a disinterested Everton 3-1 before lifting the title to complete their fairy tale.

Andrea Bocelli had already sung an emotive Nessun Dorma and the Toffees had given the hosts a guard of honour at an electric King Power Stadium.

Fast-forward and after two fifth-place finishes, FA Cup win, a Champions League quarter-final and a Europa Conference League semi-final, the class of 2023 faced a different game against the visitors.

Everton, protecting a top-flight status which stretched back to 1954, were winless in their previous six outings.

Sean Dyche’s impact, which earned two wins from his opening three games, has waned and just one further victory since has left the Toffees staring into the abyss.

If there were any nerves, the visitors hid them well and only Daniel Iversen’s fabulous save denied Iwobi an opener following Abdoulaye Doucoure’s driving run.

Maddison’s tame shot was gathered by Pickford in a rare Leicester attack before the Toffees grabbed a deserved 15th-minute lead.

It was a gift from the hosts, though, as Timothy Castagne’s moment of madness saw him unnecessarily barge Calvert-Lewin over in the box.

The striker kept his composure from the spot to score just his second goal of an injury-ravaged season.

Leicester boss Dean Smith had criticised the schedule which, starting against Everton, will see the Foxes play four Monday night games – after all their rivals.

But defeats for Leeds and Nottingham Forest had given them the platform to escape the bottom three, one they were in danger of losing until levelling out of the blue after 22 minutes.

Maddison’s free-kick was only half-cleared and Wout Faes nodded back Harvey Barnes’ cross for Soyuncu to turn in from 10 yards – his first goal for the Foxes since October 2021.

It changed the direction of the game as Leicester found their rhythm to go ahead after 33 minutes.

As much as the Foxes had found theirs, Everton had lost any composure and Iwobi’s poor pass was intercepted by Youri Tielemans for Maddison to find Vardy.

The striker dashed clear of Michael Keane to round Pickford and score. It is the first time in a year he has scored in successive games.

It sparked a madcap finish to the half and only Iversen’s fine stop from Dwight McNeil kept the hosts ahead.

Leicester survived again when Calvert-Lewin could only direct McNeil’s ball at Iversen from two yards – with Soyuncu’s touch on the cross denying the striker a simple tap-in.

Leicester immediately broke and Vardy bamboozled Keane only to chip onto the bar from eight yards.

The Toffees then lost their skipper when Coleman was carried off with a serious injury after Boubakary Soumare’s strong but innocuous challenge.

It almost got worse when Keane handled Barnes’ cross in the box but Pickford stood up to save Maddison’s poor penalty. The notes for Maddison’s penalty technique on the goalkeeper’s water bottle said ‘stay’.

It was a lifeline Everton grabbed as they levelled nine minutes after the re-start.

Iversen had already saved from Calvert-Lewin but he was powerless to stop Iwobi from drilling in after Faes had touched on McNeil’s delivery.

Parity restored, the game continued at a relentless pace with James Tarkowski blocking Vardy’s goal-bound header.

A frantic finish then saw Iversen turn Doucoure’s drive wide to preserve a result neither side really wanted.

Novak Djokovic will be able to play at this year’s US Open after the United States announced it is lifting its vaccine mandate on international travellers.

The world number one is not vaccinated against Covid-19 and had previously been unable to enter America.

But US policy will change on May 12th, allowing the 22-time grand slam winner to return to Flushing Meadows in August.

A White House statement said: “Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travellers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends.”

Djokovic (35) missed both Australian Open and the US Open tournaments in 2022 because of his vaccination status.

The Serbian had applied for special permission to play in the US last month at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open but did not receive dispensation to do so.

With vaccination against Covid-19 no longer required to enter Australia, Djokovic competed at this year’s Australian Open in January and won his latest major singles title.

Djokovic has won the US Open title three times with his victories coming in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Leeds are considering sacking Javi Gracia after just two months in charge, according to reports, with Sam Allardyce said to be among the names in the frame to replace him.

Gracia was appointed as Jesse Marsch’s successor in February, on a deal until the end of the season, with Leeds in the bottom three at the time.

Former Watford boss Gracia won three of his first six games in charge as Leeds climbed to 13th.

But Leeds’ terrible April – which saw them lose successive home games to Crystal Palace and Liverpool 5-1 and 6-1 and concede 23 goals – has left them perilously close to the relegation zone.

After Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth, Leeds are now 17th and just outside the bottom three on goal difference ahead of Saturday’s visit to leaders Manchester City.

A daunting run-in also includes home games against Newcastle and Tottenham and a trip to West Ham.

Former England manager Allardyce has emerged as a strong contender to succeed Gracia at Elland Road should the Spaniard be sacked.

The 68-year-old has been out of football since leaving West Brom in May 2021 following his first top-flight relegation.

Lee Bowyer, who made 265 appearances for Leeds between 1996 and 2003 and has managed Charlton and Birmingham, has also been mentioned as a possible short-term replacement.

Director of football Victor Orta, who joined the club from Middlesbrough in 2017, is also reportedly set to leave Elland Road.

Arsenal stormed back to the top of the Premier League with a fine return to form against beleaguered London rivals Chelsea.

Having not won any of their past four games, the Gunners eased to a 3-1 victory to leapfrog Manchester City for at least the next 24 hours.

Captain Martin Odegaard hit a brace as Gabriel Jesus wrapped up the points before the interval, with Chelsea slipping to a sixth successive defeat under interim boss Frank Lampard.

Recalled Noni Madueke at least hit a rare consolation goal for the Blues, who have now lost six of their past seven meetings with Arsenal.

While it was a night to remember for skipper Odegaard, it was one his predecessor will want to forgot in a hurry, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang starting for Chelsea for the first time since facing Arsenal on November 6 but lasting just 45 minutes before being substituted.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had refused to rule his side out of the title race despite a four-game winless run which culminated in a galling defeat to rivals City last week.

This result takes them back to the summit, two points clear of City but having played two games more and with Pep Guardiola’s men in fine form ahead of their visit of West Ham on Wednesday.

Granit Xhaka had an early chance but his close-range strike was saved by the legs of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was in for a busy night.

It was a lively start for the hosts, with Bukayo Saka next to test Kepa, the England forward’s header palmed away by the Chelsea goalkeeper.

There was nothing the stopper could do shortly afterwards, however, only getting a glove to a fine Odegaard finish from a Xhaka cross with both players afforded the time and space to put Arsenal into a deserved lead.

The same pair combined again for the second, again with little to no pressure on either player as Odegaard drifted away from Raheem Sterling to net a 14th goal of the season.

Chelsea almost hit back through Ben Chilwell but his England colleague Aaron Ramsdale pushed his shot behind at full stretch.

Lampard reacted to an abject first half by replacing the ineffectual Aubameyang, who had just nine touches on his Emirates return – four of which were kick-offs.

It was Arsenal, though, who continued where they left off, Gabriel Magalhaes heading a corner towards goal where his fellow Brazilian Thiago Silva controlled on the line before coolly clearing under pressure.

Xhaka nearly went from provider to scorer but Kepa pushed his strike away before Jesus could not keep an effort down with Arsenal rampant.

Chelsea would pull a goal back, just their second in eight games, as Madueke bundled home his first Premier League goal after skipping inside Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Mykhailo Mudryk, strongly linked with Arsenal before his January move to Chelsea, was introduced by the visitors six minutes later. He had a laser pen shone at him on several occasions but saw plenty of the ball as he sought to make the closing stages nervy for the Gunners.

However, unlike in recent weeks when Arteta’s defence has creaked under pressure, they stood firm to see out the game and secure a vital win.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney joined the party as thousands of fans lined the streets to celebrate Wrexham’s return to the Football League with a trophy parade on Tuesday evening.

Phil Parkinson’s side, who needed a league record haul of 111 points to beat Notts County in a gripping National League title race, showed off their trophy, along with the women’s team, who have earned promotion to the Genero Adran Premier.

Three open-top buses slowly navigated their way around the city on a loop that started and finished outside the Racecourse Ground, cutting through a fog of red smoke from the ubiquitous flares.

Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney, whose takeover and £10million investment in the Red Dragons has helped transform the club’s fortunes, joined the women’s team on the second of three buses, with Parkinson alongside his staff on the third.

The men’s team soaked up the adulation from the top of the first. Fans chanted ‘One more year’ at former Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster, who came out of retirement to sign a one-year deal in September, and several of his team-mates joined in.

Such is the global nature of this north Wales club these days that there were Canadian maple leafs and the American Stars and Stripes among the hundreds of Welsh dragons along the route, while Skid the Dachshund sported a custom-made hat.

An American couple joined the hundreds of fans who set up camp in the car park of The Turf pub alongside the Racecourse Ground, having taken time out from a holiday in Ireland to experience the party laid on by a club they discovered during lockdown.

“With Covid happening all around the world we heard this story and we watched them on the streaming services,” said Robin Beattie. “We fell in love with it.

“We happened to be on vacation in Dublin and said, ‘Let’s hop on over’. We’re very happy to see the excitement in the town. It’s a Cindarella story. We love it.”

But, while there was inevitably an international presence on the day, this was a party primarily enjoyed by the locals, those fans that Parkinson had talked about when he said earning promotion was about ending 15 years of hurt in the town.

Supporters could have been forgiven for wondering what would become of their club when two Hollywood stars decided to buy it in 2021.

But Reynolds and McElhenney have won them over by embracing its traditions and ensuring its identity has not fundamentally changed, even with the influx of new fans from around the world.

“This is world class, fantastic,” said Wrexham native Darren Jackson. “They’ve done it the right way. It’s still the same club, but all this is brilliant.”

Gareth Bale may have turned down what was a tongue-in-cheek attempt to lure him off the golf course, but Reynolds and McElhenney are serious about their plans to keep pushing this club higher and higher.

Promotion to League One is the target now.

If they reach their goal, there will be another parade in Wrexham this time next year.

Paris St Germain forward Lionel Messi has been suspended for two weeks after an unauthorised trip for two days to Saudi Arabia, French sports daily L’Equipe reported on Tuesday.

The Argentina World Cup winner is banned from playing or training with the team, and his pay will be docked during his suspension, the report added. The 35-year-old, who has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.

Messi reportedly made the trip to Saudi Arabia after PSG’s 3-1 defeat to Lorient, leaving them five points clear ahead of Marseille. He has 15 goals and 15 assists in Ligue 1 so far this season.

Messi will miss the upcoming Ligue 1 matches against Troyes and Ajaccio but might return for the match against Auxerre on May 21.

PSG are top of the standings with 75 points from 33 matches.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s insistence he did not intentionally call referee Paul Tierney’s integrity into question has not prevented the Football Association charging him with improper conduct.

While blaming the emotion of a last-gasp 4-3 win over Tottenham, having been 3-0 up, can in no way excuse the Reds boss for charging down the touchline to celebrate wildly in front of fourth official John Brooks or his suggestions Tierney “had history” with the club, Klopp said he never meant to cast aspersions.

Tierney actually appears to have done Klopp a favour by not sending him off as the German claimed the referee had told him his actions on the touchline were worthy of a red card, but he chose to issue a yellow on the advice of Brooks.

It was that red card suggestion which led Klopp to say what Tierney said to him was “not OK”, with the 55-year-old German insisting he has not lied about the interaction after the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) rejected Tierney’s actions were “improper” and insisted a review of the recording proves Tierney behaved in a “professional manner”.

But it was Klopp’s comments that the referee was acting against Liverpool based on past experiences which has landed him with a misconduct charge and facing an extended touchline ban.

The FA’s statement said “they imply bias, and/or question the integrity of the referee, and/or are personal/offensive, and/or bring the game into disrepute”.

“I probably have to expect the punishment,” said Klopp, speaking before he learned of the charge, who has until Friday to respond.

“I think the refs think I questioned the integrity (of their colleague), which when I am calm and sitting here I don’t do, but in that moment I just describe my feelings.

“I am very sure he is not doing it intentionally but we have a history and I cannot deny that.

“Of course they didn’t happen intentionally but they are still there and it’s a feeling and nothing else.

“I know the refs were really angry about what I said and now go for it. I heard I was lying.

“I did a lot of things that day but I didn’t lie. I shouldn’t have said a couple of things but lying was not one of them.”

Klopp served a one-game suspension in November after the FA successfully appealed against an independent regulatory commission decision to only fine him £30,000 in regards to his behaviour in confronting assistant referee Gary Beswick and subsequently being sent of by referee Anthony Taylor.

He said he regretted allowing his emotions to get the better of him again.

“We won a football game 4-3 in a very spectacular manner and the only headlines are the ones I created and I really regret that,” he said. “It is absolutely not necessary and not how it should be.

“The whole situation shouldn’t have happened at all. It was out of emotion, it was out of anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I celebrated.

“Paul Tierney came over to me and I didn’t expect at all a red card. I know I had a red card not too long ago but I didn’t expect for a second a red card because I didn’t feel it was right.

“He (Tierney) said to me ‘For me it’s a red card but because of him’ – that’s what I understood because it was loud in the stadium – ‘but because of him (Brooks) it’s yellow’. Showed me a yellow and smiled to my face. That’s it.

“The final whistle we go inside and I try to calm down and it didn’t work out properly and I said what I said.

“I said ‘What he said to me was not OK’ and I thought it was not OK because it was not a red card in my view.

“I understand I opened the box. It was not intentional but I opened it.”

Liverpool face Fulham on Wednesday looking for a fourth successive victory to maintain their unlikely pursuit of Champions League football.

There will inevitably be increased scrutiny on the manager but he said: “If there is one good thing, I prefer I am in that situation than any player.

“We will see but I can’t see it will have an influence on the team.”

Kevin De Bruyne faces a fitness test ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with West Ham on Wednesday.

The influential Belgium playmaker missed the champions’ victory at Fulham on Sunday with an unspecified knock and is again a doubt as the Hammers visit the Etihad Stadium.

Defender Nathan Ake could be in contention after missing City’s last three games with a hamstring injury.

Manager Pep Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday: “Nathan trained with us and feels good.

“Kevin has started to move but hasn’t trained with the team (yet). Now we have training in a few hours and we will know exactly how he feels.”

Wednesday’s game could see the prolific Erling Haaland set a new record for the most goals by a player in a Premier League season.

The Norwegian netted his 34th of the league campaign at Fulham, drawing him level with joint record-holders Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

His strike at Craven Cottage was his 50th of the season in all competitions and, with a potential 10 games remaining, it is not inconceivable that he could pass Dixie Dean’s 1927-28 record of 63.

It has been an astonishing first year in English football but Guardiola is confident there could be plenty more to come from the 22-year-old.

Guardiola said: “It is a surprise for all of us – maybe not for him – to do what he’s doing in this difficult league but the way he behaves and has done it is for the success of the team.

“Of course it’s good for him and the team if he breaks the records. It’s a good sign.

“The magnitude of a record is because for a long time it was not broken. All records will be broken one day.

“He himself or another one will break the record Erling is going to set, because I’m pretty sure he is going to score more goals in the Premier League until the end of the season.”

In-form City put themselves in firm control of the title race with their victory over Arsenal last week but, after being pushed hard by Fulham, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted against the Hammers.

He said: “West Ham maybe didn’t do the season they expected but that doesn’t mean the quality is not there.

“In the last two seasons with David Moyes they have been exceptional.

“The weapons are there, they are a good team. I don’t have doubts about them. In one game anything can happen. We have to be absolutely ready.”

Leeds United has sacked manager Javi Gracia and appointed Sam Allardyce to take charge for the rest of the season as it bids to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Having already removed director of football Victor Orta, the Yorkshire club announced the departure of Spaniard Gracia on Wednesday morning along with his backroom staff.

A poor season at Elland Road sees the club languishing in 17th, with only goal difference keeping them out of the relegation zone.

Leeds have lost four in a winless run of five matches and have four games left to save themselves.

A club statement read: “Leeds can confirm Javi Gracia will leave the club after 12 games in charge.

“Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia and Juan Solla, who joined alongside Gracia, will also leave the club.

“We thank Javi and his team for their efforts under difficult circumstances.

“The remaining four games of the season will be overseen by experienced head coach Sam Allardyce.”

Former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford boss Karl Robinson will be Allardyce’s assistant.

Leeds travel to leaders Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting third-placed Newcastle.

A trip to West Ham and an Elland Road encounter with European hopefuls Tottenham round out the season.

Allardyce takes charge after suffering his first Premier League relegation with West Brom, when he left six months into an 18-month contract.

The 68-year-old former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England boss becomes Leeds’ third permanent manager of the season after Jesse Marsch and Gracia.

Allardyce is reported to have agreed a basic salary of £500,000 ($751,000) for his four games in charge, with a £2.5million ($3.7 million) bonus if he can keep Leeds up.

“Obviously there’s a tingle that runs through your veins when you take over a football club,” Allardyce said in an interview with British radio station talkSPORT, which was given before his appointment was officially announced.

“I know it’s in a lot of trouble. I’ve seen a lot of trouble before and hopefully – I could have done with a little bit more time, but four games – hopefully we can make a difference and keep this fabulous club in the Premier League.”

Allardyce said he was “shocked” to get the opportunity.

“I never thought at this stage of the season, there would be jobs offered,” he said.

“When the phone popped up with a name that I knew pretty well, I knew who it was straightaway. So it took me about two seconds to say yes.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia saw him become the world’s highest-paid athlete, according to Forbes, with Paris Saint-Germain duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe rounding off the top three.

Portuguese striker Ronaldo signed a lucrative two-and-a-half year deal with Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal late last year after having his contract at Manchester United terminated by mutual consent following his criticism of club officials and manager Erik ten Hag.

Forbes reported that the 38-year-old earned $136 million, with his annual playing salary going up to an estimated $75 million.

Ronaldo signed with Al Hilal until 2025 on a reported $200 million per year contract.

PSG forward Messi, 35, was next on the list after bringing home a combined $130 million while club teammate and France captain Mbappe – the youngest on the list at 24 – earned $120 million to sit third.

Los Angeles Lakers player and NBA great LeBron James ($119.5 million) and Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez ($110 million) rounded out the top five.

Last year also saw the advent of LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that has lured away some of the PGA Tour’s top players with huge sums of money, and two of its golfers make the top 10.

Former world No 1 Dustin Johnson (sixth with $107 million) made the biggest gain after making the controversial switch to LIV Golf having not even made the cut for the top 50 in 2022 while he was joined by fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson (seventh with $106 million).

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry ($100.4 million) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant ($89.1 million) are the other two basketball players on the list.

Twenty-time tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer ($95.1 million) is the only retired player in the top 10.

Forbes said its on-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries and bonuses earned in the past 12 months while off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, licensing income and cash returns from businesses they operate.

Forbes’ top 10 highest-paid athletes

1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($136 million)
2. Lionel Messi ($130 million)
3. Kylian Mbappe ($120 million)
4. LeBron James ($119.5 million)
5. Canelo Alvarez ($110 million)
6. Dustin Johnson ($107 million)
7. Phil Mickelson ($106 million)
8. Stephen Curry ($100.4 million)
9. Kevin Durant ($89.1 million)
10. Roger Federer ($95.1 million)