List of All Articles with Tag 'b'

Mohamed Salah ignored the Saudi Arabian spotlight focused on him with a goal and an impressive all-round performance in Liverpool’s comfortable 3-0 Premier League rout of Aston Villa which showed his commitment and desire has not wavered. A rejected £150million bid from Al-Ittihad on Friday merely sparked reports the Pro League champions would return with a world-record offer – with their transfer window open until Thursday – but while the speculation continues, the Egypt international got on with what he is good at. This was his 188th goal in 308 appearances, 139th in 222 Premier League matches, his seventh in seven games against Villa and the 150th different game in which he had found the target. His close-range poacher’s finish at a corner made the result safe but even with the game won inside an hour, he was still chasing lost causes on an afternoon when scorching temperatures inside Anfield resembled Saudi Arabia on one of its cooler days. But while Salah provided the killer blow with the third goal, the architect of the victory was Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose corner saw Dominki Szoboszlai open the scoring with his first goal for the club and then a clever whipped pass over the top released Salah – which ultimately resulted in a Matty Cash own goal. However, the sight of him limping off and straight down the tunnel with 20 minutes to go will be of some concern as manager Jurgen Klopp has no one else who can do what he currently does. Klopp himself marked his 300th Premier League match with his 188th victory, losing just 43, but as he stressed in his programme notes when urging fans not to sing his song until after the final whistle, the focus was on the players. This was only the second of seven league matches Liverpool had won without Virgil Van Dijk, currently suspended, but wearing the armband in his place, local lad Alexander-Arnold led by example. However, even he could not have anticipated his third-minute corner reaching Szoboszlai untouched by anyone but the Hungary captain, who arrived from RB Leipzig with a reputation for scoring from distance, made sure the right-back got full value for his delivery. As the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box the 22-year-old hit a sweet, controlled left-footed shot which, on its way back also evaded the crowd to nestle inside the returning Emi Martinez’s left-hand post. Alexander-Arnold was the instigator of Liverpool’s second but it was the helping hand from Salah, for whom the Kop sang their first song in the 10th minute, chasing his brilliant pass with greater determination than Pau Torres which presented the chance for Nunez. The Uruguay international scuffed a shot against the post but the rebound went in off the unfortunate Cash. Liverpool’s right-back-cum-playmaker should have had another assist when he opted to cross a free-kick in prime shooting territory only to find the worst possible option in Joel Matip, whose free header never even threatened the target. Villa – who lost Diego Carlos to injury midway through the first half – saw John McGinn and substitute Leon Bailey (twice) miss their best chances but the final 20 minutes of the first half was played in a bizarre atmosphere with the visitors sitting off, Liverpool at walking pace and the crowd subdued. Nunez can always be relied upon to liven things up though and he smashed a shot against the crossbar from the narrowest of angles after the offside Salah’s clever decision not to chase Alexander-Arnold’s ball over the top. Early in the second half, Alisson Becker parried away Cash’s close-range header on the line before Salah broke down the right, leaving the collapsing Lucas Digne in his wake, to produce a sublime outside-of-the-left-foot cross to the far post – which Nunez somehow managed to bundle wide. But Salah was not to be denied and from Andy Roberton’s 55th-minute corner, Nunez flicked on the ball to the far post for the Egyptian to blast home from close range for the biggest cheer of the day. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England need 203 to beat New Zealand at Edgbaston and wrap up T20 series Michael Beale urges Rangers to ‘dust themselves down’ and be ready after break I have been placed on death watch by the media – Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers

Crystal Palace earned their second victory of the Premier League season with a 3-2 win over Wolves at Selhurst Park. Two goals from Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze’s sublime finish saw off a stubborn Wolves side who had equalised through substitute Hwang Hee-Chan and saw Matheus Cunha net a late consolation. In a match-up between two sides who had scored just four goals between them coming into the game, the first half was unsurprisingly a somewhat dour affair lit up in flashes by the enterprising Eze. The England international thought he should have had a penalty early in the first half when he went down under a Joao Gomes challenge but VAR official Stuart Attwell deemed the contact was insufficient to award a spot-kick. Almost immediately the visitors should have found themselves a goal down when Jose Sa’s poor pass was nicked off the toes of Craig Dawson by Jefferson Lerma who teed up Jordan Ayew, but Wolves skipper Max Kliman blocked his shot on the line. A Pedro Neto effort that was tipped over by Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone just before half-time was the only shot of note from Gary O’Neil’s side before the break, but the game exploded into life after the restart with all five goals coming in the second half. A superb run and cross from Tyrick Mitchell down the left wing picked out Edouard who snuck between two defenders to steer the ball past Sa and give Palace a 56th-minute lead. But Wolves hit back in the 65th minute when Hee-Chan made an immediate impact shortly after his introduction from the bench when he made contact with Neto’s superb free-kick with his shoulder with the ball looping over Johnstone. But Palace always looked the more likely to score with Eze becoming all the more influential and it was the former QPR man who made it 2-1 in the 77th minute with a superb touch and finish after Jean-Philippe Mateta diverted Joel Ward’s pass into his path. Six minutes later Edouard wrapped up the win after Mateta’s back-heel fooled the Wolves defence with the former Celtic striker burying the ball past the helpless Sa. Eze almost added a fourth for Palace with another jinking run into the box but Sa saved well to his left and palmed the ball wide of the post. Wolves pulled a goal back in the sixth minute of time added on when Neto’s cross was met in the box by the head of Cunha but Palace held on for the win. Read More Erik ten Hag says Manchester United looking forward to ‘fight’ with Arsenal Deadline deals and Ricky Gervais plays hide-and-seek – Friday’s sporting social Man City seal Matheus Nunes deal as Cole Palmer leaves and Man Utd sign keeper

According to studio estimates, the third installment in the Denzel Washington-led “Equalizer” franchise has topped the domestic box office this weekend with $34.5 million

HSBC Holdings Plc’s Saudi Arabia unit named two new managing directors and co-heads of investment banking, as global

Russian forces attacked Ukrainian port facilities on the Danube River used for food exports on Sunday, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss reviving a grain export deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Hundreds have died and millions have been forced from their homes since fighting began in April.

The New York Yankees waived Harrison Bader, now a Cincinnati Red, and called up the youngsters. The proverbial white flag has been waved with New York poised to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017. Fangraphs gives them a 0.3% chance of making the postseason (an improvement, considering they've been as low as 0.1%).

Player ratings from Liverpool's comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield in the Premier League.

Rasmus Hjlund named on bench for Man Utd against Arsenal, with chance of potential Premier League debut.

Michael Fassbender returned to the big screen at the Venice Film Festival Sunday after years away as a racing driver, playing a cold-blooded assassin in David...

Brendan Rodgers spoke about being under intense media pressure going into Celtic’s impressive 1-0 cinch Premiership win over Rangers at Ibrox. The Hoops went into the game on the back of a loss to Kilmarnock in the Viaplay Cup and a home draw to St Johnstone and with some key players missing, but Kyogo Furuhashi’s late first-half strike stretched their lead over Rangers to four points after four games. After the game, Rodgers said: “I understand I have been placed on death watch by the media. “But whatever the result today I’m an experienced manager now and I’m staying calm. “But that’s where you are powerless as a coach. “For me I understand what we have, I understand what we are missing. “Until we get the level of player back that will make a difference in some of our games we have to keep working and developing and improving and I have absolutely no doubt we will do that as the season grows. “But listen, it’s three wins and a draw in the league and some of the games have been good, but we are still piecing together a team which will look a lot more like it by the end of the season.” Rangers were aggrieved at a VAR decision that went against them in the first half. Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke was challenged by Cyriel Dessers just inside the Hoops half and the Gers attacker raced clear and squared the ball for Kemar Roofe, who took a touch before firing past Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart. When referee Don Robertson checked the pitchside monitor at the behest of the VAR, he ruled the goal out for a foul on the Hoops defender, albeit it looked soft. Rodgers said: “Listen, there is enough people looking at it now. As I said to Gus at half-time, ‘you’ve got to learn your lesson there’. “You’ve got to get the passing going quicker and he maybe needs another angle there quicker. But in saying that, as he turns around, he gets a nick. “If you are Michael (Beale) and Rangers supporters you are maybe aggrieved. But at that point of the game we were dominating. “So if we had conceded then I wouldn’t have been so happy. “But they had a good look at it for long enough, so we accept the decision.” Amid an ongoing ticket spat between the clubs there were no travelling supporters – Celtic rejected the offer of around 700 tickets, citing safety concerns – which irked Rodgers. He said: “It’s not the same game. It’s not the same game and it’s such a shame. “Look, it’s brilliant for us. Our resilience and everything we had to show as Celtic players was there today. As a group we had to withstand a lot, but it’s not the same game. “When there is not a single supporter there for you then you know you have to be a man. And for this group of players to come and do that and get the victory was absolutely brilliant. “Listen, I hope between the two clubs we can do that at some point. “It’s obviously going to be a challenge this year, so it’s another year. But it’s not the same games. “If you asked Rangers supporters, I’m pretty sure some of their best wins they have seen from their team were away at the other ground. “Hopefully we will get back to that. Whether it’s 7,000 or 8,000 or whatever, it’s an iconic game, an amazing game. “And a big part of it is the supporters. So hopefully in time we can get that back. “But for us today to come here with no supporters and win…hopefully wherever they are, Celtic supporters across the world will be proud of their team.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Prop, scrum-half and full-back – the World Cup selection dilemmas facing England Wales centre Mason Grady has tough family act to follow at first Rugby World Cup Tributes paid to former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak after his death aged 49

Orlando Arcia's three-run blast in extra innings looks as awesome from all angles as you would expect in the Atlanta Braves' go-ahead homer vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.