
Football rumours: Crystal Palace unhappy with Chelsea over bid for Michael Olise
What the papers say Crystal Palace are reportedly unhappy with Chelsea over “tapping up” concerns during their pursuit of Michael Olise, according to the Daily Mail. Chelsea are looking to sign the 21-year-old attacking midfielder for £35million after activating a release clause but the Mail report that the Eagles are concerned over the way the approach for their player has been handled. West Ham’s deal to sign former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has reportedly fallen through after the club became tired of waiting for the defender to agree on the move to the club, the Guardian reports. The Daily Mail says Liverpool are widening their hunt for a defensive midfielder with the club identifying six players including Joao Palhinha and Cheick Doucoure. Social media round-up Players to watch Mohammed Salah: Football365 says the Liverpool forward has given permission for a Saudi Pro League team to negotiate with the club. Lucas Paqueta: A new offer from Manchester City is imminent for the West Ham midfielder, according to Football Insider.
1970-01-01 08:00

Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine
This vibrantly green pasta recipe is one of my favourites in the book,” says Mimi Harrison, author of Beat The Budget. “Not only is it bright and Instagrammable, it’s also so delicious. The frozen spinach is reasonably priced and you don’t have to worry about it going off in the fridge. And the goat’s cheese provides creaminess, acidity and tang, all in one ingredient (hello, cost-effective!). “This is ideal for a speedy meal when you’re in a rush, or to serve to friends at a dinner party when you don’t want to spend half the night in the kitchen.” Goat’s cheese, spinach and basil linguine Serves: 5 Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 500g linguine 3 garlic cloves, finely grated 160g frozen spinach 125g goat’s cheese 30g fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Chilli flakes (optional) Method: 1. Set a non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and gently fry for four minutes. 2. Meanwhile, set a large pan of salted water over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the linguine and cook for two minutes less than the packet cooking time. 3. While the pasta is cooking and once the onions have softened, add the garlic to fry for a minute before adding the frozen spinach to the pan, along with 400 millilitres of the starchy pasta water. Increase the heat and cook the spinach and onion mix until the pasta is ready. 4. Add the spinach and onion mix to a blender with half of the goat’s cheese and the basil and blitz until smooth. 5. Drain the linguine and transfer back to the pan. Pour over the blended sauce and continue to cook over a low\medium heat. 6. After about two minutes, the sauce should thicken and coat the linguine. Serve with a sprinkle of any remaining goat’s cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Optionally, top with chilli flakes if you love a little heat. ‘Beat The Budget’ by Mimi Harrison (Ebury Press, £16.99). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one
1970-01-01 08:00

How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, many of us are looking for ways to save money where we can. Food shops are one of the main things that have become more expensive in recent years – so are there any easy ways to save a bit of cash in the kitchen? Chefs are on hand to share their top money-saving tips… Make simple swaps Suzanne Mulholland, author of The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget (HQ, £22) recommends letting go of loyalty to brand names. For example, she says: “You’re not going to notice a difference in flour – yet it’s about a fifth of the price of a branded one.” Mulholland continues: “If you love to eat haddock, then buy hake instead. If you like to eat cod, buy coley instead – monkfish? Buy seacat. These are all very similar fishes, but they’re just not the most popular ones everybody else buys. “You wouldn’t actually notice the difference between eating a different type of fish, because hake is very much like haddock – yet because it’s not that popular, it’s half the price. It’s also locally sourced, because these are all British fish.” Maunika Gowardhan, author of Tandoori Home Cooking (Hardie Grant, £25), also advocates cost-effective swaps. “If it’s a chicken recipe, I normally use chicken thighs over chicken breasts,” she says. “It’s a cheaper cut of meat, and it’s a more flavourful cut of meat.” If you’re a keen baker, The Great British Bake Off’s Kim-Joy (Bake Me A Cat, Quadrille, £16.99) has a top tip for you. As butter “has become so much more expensive”, she recommends “using more vegetable oil in baking”. Make a plan “Most people are cooking blindly,” says chef Max La Manna (You Can Cook This!, Ebury Publishing, £22), “Pulling ingredients together and cooking – they do the same when they go to a supermarket, they buy ingredients – and a lot of waste happens when people don’t have a plan.” La Manna’s top tip is firstly “cook the food you already have before you go out and buy more”. After that, it’s all about making a plan. “Shop smarter,” says La Manna. “Create lists when you go to the supermarket, and stick to that list.” Make your ingredients last longer Throwing away produce that’s gone off is money down the drain – so La Manna is keen for us all to make ingredients last longer. “You can extend the shelf life of ingredients – for instance, most people throw away bag salad or herbs,” he says. “What I do with my bag salad, once I bring it home I’ll wash it and also let it sit in cold water – because it firms up and it gets crisp and it stays fresh a little longer.” Once he’s washed the salad, he divides the bag of leaves – putting half in a container in a tea towel (“to absorb some of the moisture”) and use within the next three or four days. “The other half I cook in hot water – blanch it really quickly, squeeze out the water, then I have this kind of pre-cooked spinach. Roll that up tightly, place it in the freezer and then when I need something in a week’s time – a stew, a soup, a curry, a stir-fry – pop those in.” You can also reduce waste by knowing how to store all your other produce properly. “That’s where a lot of waste is coming in, people put ingredients away, they turn their back and the food’s already gone bad,” says La Manna. “Know how to store your produce and where to store it – potatoes should be kept in a cupboard somewhere dry, dark, cool but well-ventilated so they don’t begin to sprout. Same thing with onions. Bananas like to have their own space – bananas don’t like to be with other ingredients, because they release a chemical and will ripen quicker.” Instead of throwing away bananas on the turn, La Manna says: “It’s great for the freezer, [or] use them in smoothies. Use them as a batter for cupcakes or cakes.” Use every part of your ingredients “With Chinese food, there really is a ‘no waste’ policy,” says Kwoklyn Wan (One Wok, One Pot, Quadrille, £16.99) – and he suggests this ethos could help you save money in the kitchen. “Even when you peel your onions, use the onion skin in the stock” – along with anything else you might normally throw away, such as the top ends of carrots or fish heads. “That’s so important – if people learn to use every part of that ingredient… You can have a fantastic dish with all the best bits, and at the end of it, you’ve got this fantastic soup base. All you’ve got to do is add really cheap noodles into it, and maybe a few veggies and tofu, some chicken – whatever. “You’ve got this lovely broth – and that’s your next meal completely free, or near enough.” Be smart with your ingredients Most of us are guilty of buying an exciting-sounding ingredient for our store cupboard and only using it once. If you really want to save money in the kitchen, it’s all about being smart with what you buy – and making sure you’re going to use it a lot. Lydia Vernon, co-author of Caught Snackin’ (Hamlyn, £20), says that on Caught Snackin’s wildly popular TikTok channel,”we like to keep with the same ingredients for each recipe. “We stay around things like mixed herbs, garlic powder, plain flour – those kind of staples you have in your cupboard all the time, which are going to be cost-effective.” Food writer Gurdeep Loyal (Mother Tongue, Fourth Estate, £26) takes this one step further, saying: “My advice would be to equip your pantry with four or five very flavour-forward ingredients – things such as tamarind paste, things such as brown miso, things such as fennel seeds, for example, or something like tandoori masala powder. “Because these four or five pantry staples can transform anything really simple and basic – just adding a spoonful of this is going to amplify your cooking into hundreds of different directions. “It means you can use very basic supermarket staples, then turn them into something incredible” – without having to spend money on fancy new ingredients every week. Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one
1970-01-01 08:00

How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money)
There is something so wonderfully comforting about a bowl of ramen noodles, whatever the season,” says chef and TV presenter Shivi Ramoutar, author of Cook Clever. “This version uses packet ramen – don’t turn your nose up at it; I assure you that with the added flavours, veg and protein, it becomes something spectacular and amazingly easy to accomplish. This is one to elevate to your heart’s content – you really can’t go too OTT with this. Have it slurpy or dry as you like.” Pimped packet ramen Serves: 2 Ingredients: For the base: 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 spring onion (white bulb discarded), snipped 1 tsp garlic purée 2 mugs of boiling water 2 packets of ramen noodles (or any other instant noodles) OR 300g ready cooked noodles and 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled OR 300g ready cooked noodles and 2 sachets of miso soup mix For the protein (choose from): 1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked chicken strips 1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked seafood 1 mug of frozen or fresh gyoza dumplings ½ block of firm tofu, broken into smaller pieces For the veg: 250g packet of pak choi, leaves separated ½ mug of frozen vegetables Toppers (choose as many as you like): Soft-boiled egg halves Drizzles of chilli oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds Fresh coriander sprigs Fresh chillies Kimchi Drizzles of sriracha Method: 1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and cook the spring onion and garlic purée for a couple minutes, stirring often until aromatic. 2. Add the boiling water, along with the dried noodles and their flavour sachets, or the cooked noodles with the crumbled stock cube or the miso soup sachets. Stir together and cook for a minute or two until the liquid is mostly absorbed. 3. Add your chosen protein and the veg and cook until the protein is just cooked through, about five minutes or so. If you are using fresh chicken or seafood it will take less time. If using tofu, add in the last few minutes so it doesn’t disintegrate. 4. Serve into bowls and go crazy with the toppers. ‘Cook Clever: One Chop, No Waste, All Taste’ by Shivi Ramoutar (HarperCollins, £20). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one
1970-01-01 08:00

Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour
This is a versatile dish that you can pair with many different things; have it with rice, smother it over fries, put it on a hot dog, pour it over a jacket spud or just use it as a dip for tortilla chips,” says Mitch Lane, author of Feed Your Family For Under A Fiver. “It can be frozen as well, so it’s great for saving time while meal prepping! I use store-bought chilli con carne seasoning, but if you have a lot of spices in your cupboard (cumin, chilli powder, paprika, cumin seeds) then you’re on to a winner. This is so simple and it absolutely slaps with flavour.” Chilli con carne Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tsp vegetable or olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 green chillies, finely chopped, plus 1 to serve 500g minced beef 41g packet of chilli con carne seasoning 400g tin chopped tomatoes 130g tin kidney beans, drained 300ml beef stock (made with a stock cube) Salt and pepper Method: 1. Put a pan on a medium heat and add the oil and the onion and soften for three to four minutes. Add the garlic and chillies and continue to cook for a further two minutes. If you’re not keen on a lot of spice just use one chilli and remove the seeds. 2. Add the mince and break it up with the back of a spoon, ensuring that there’s no big lumps. Cook the meat until it’s nice and brown. Be generous with the salt and pepper and then add the chilli con carne seasoning. Mix well. 3. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans and stir. Then pour in the beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. The simmering is very important (it’s like a fine wine that gets better with age). 4. Serve with sliced chilli. ‘Feed Your Family For Under A Fiver’ by Mitch Lane (Thorsons, £16.99). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one
1970-01-01 08:00

England boss Sarina Wiegman insists ‘Australia is not just Sam Kerr’
England boss Sarina Wiegman believes simply nullifying the threat posed by Australia striker Sam Kerr will not be enough to see the Lionesses through to a first-ever World Cup final. The European champions take on the Matildas in their semi-final tonight at 11 am BST at Sydney’s sold-out Stadium Australia, where the majority of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts. Captain Kerr is her country’s leading goal-scorer of either gender, but has not yet started a match in the global showpiece after injuring her calf pre-tournament, making her much-anticipated return as a substitute in Australia’s 2-0 last-16 victory over Denmark. Though the Chelsea forward is, at least in Australia, the poster-woman for this tournament, Wiegman insisted: “Australia is not just Sam Kerr. Yes, we have a plan [if she starts]. She can play and she can start on the bench, so that’s the situation. Of course she is a threat, she’s a very good player, so a lot of respect [to her]. “But there is more than Sam Kerr, because at the end it is always a team performance. When the team does really well an individual can do even better. That’s the same for Australia and it’s the same for England. “There is a lot of pressure on her because everyone expects things from her. I think Australia have grown in the tournament too, they had some difficult situations they had to come back from and they did really well. We expect a very strong Australia tomorrow.” The winner of Wednesday night’s contest will take on Spain for the trophy, after they beat Sweden 2-1 on Tuesday to book their trip to the final. Kerr’s calf was arguably the most talked-about calf in Australian history when it was announced she would miss the first two matches of the Matildas’ World Cup campaign, and speculation has swirled about her fitness ever since. The 29-year-old declared she would be available for Australia’s final group stage contest against Canada but remained on the bench, before appearing to a raucous reception for the first time in the 80th minute against Denmark. She featured more in her side’s quarter-final against France, coming on for Emily van Egmond in the 55th minute and scoring one of the penalties that would see Australia win a 7-6 shootout and advance to the final four for the first time. England captain Millie Bright, Kerr’s club team-mate at Women’s Super League champions Chelsea, echoed her manager’s assessment, adding: “I think everyone knows [Sam] pretty well. On the worldwide stage, I think she’s made a name for herself. “It’s pretty hard not to know Sam and her abilities, but like Sarina said there’s other players in the team. I think we’re prepared to play against Australia as a team.” Those other players have stepped up considerably in their skipper’s absence. Mary Fowler and Hayley Raso – who has netted three times this tournament – are emerging alongside Kerr as new household names Down Under. It remains to be seen if Kerr will make her first World Cup start against England, or if Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson will once again use her as a talismanic threat off the bench – either way, Wiegman insists England have a plan. Gustavsson perhaps hinted at the latter in his press conference on the eve of their historic encounter, where one side will become a World Cup finalist for the first time, The Swedish boss said: “We’ll look at all of this trying to start as strong as possible, but finish even stronger. Meaning, what kind of starting line-up do we want to have, what finishing 11 do we want to have? “What kind of tools and game-changing do we think we need in a game like this? Type of players, whether it’s speed or aerial presence. There will be some tough decisions to be made because a lot of players deserve to start, but a lot of players also deserve to finish the game and win it for us.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ben Stokes tipped to make one-day U-turn and make England squad for World Cup Harry Maguire looking set to remain with Manchester United Impressive win for Gateshead on the road at Dagenham
1970-01-01 08:00

How to watch England vs Australia: TV channel and kick-off time for Women’s World Cup semi-final
England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals as the Lionesses look to take down the hosts in Sydney. Both teams are aiming to reach their first-ever Women’s World Cup final and the stage could not be bigger for the latest chapter of England and Australia’s sporting rivalry. Australia has been gripped by World Cup fever with the Matildas’ dramatic penalty shootout victory against France in the quarter-finals becoming the most-watched sporting event in the country since the 2000 Olympic Games. Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest England vs Australia news and build-up But England will be out to spoil the party as the Lionesses look to make history of their own. The European champions defeated Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals and are set to face another hostile atmosphere as they take on Australia and a near-80,000 capacity crowd in Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. The winner will play Spain in Sunday’s showpiece in Sydney, after La Roja defeated Sweden 2-1 in the other semi-final. Here’s everything you need to know as England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals. When is England vs Australia? The Women’s World Cup semi-final will kick off at 11am UK time (BST) on Wednesday 16 August, and will be played at the Stadium Australia, Sydney. How can I watch it? England vs Australia will be shown live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with coverage getting underway from 10am. What is the England team news? Lauren James remains unavailable, with the forward serving the second match of her two-game ban, although she will now be free to play either the final or the third-place place playoff, depending on England’s result against Australia. The Lionesses have a fully fit squad elsewhere. Sarina Wiegman kept her 3-5-2 formation against Colombia and is unlikely to make any changes given how well certain areas of the team are performing. The back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood has excelled in front of goalkeeper Mary Earps, with Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly set to continue as wing-backs. Keira Walsh will start at the base of the midfield, with Georgia Stanway alongside her. The one area of the team Wiegman may decide to change is in Ella Toone’s position given the midfielder’s form, with her Manchester United teammate Katie Zelem an option. Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp both scored against Colombia and are set to lead the line, with Chloe Kelly and Beth England the other attacking options from the bench. What is the Australia team news? Sam Kerr played 66 minutes in the penalty shootout victory over Australia and is close to being fully fit, with Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson facing another big decision as to whether or not to start his captain and star striker. Gustavsson may decide to stick by his starting attack, with a front two of Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler leading the line and Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso providing threat from the wings. Predicted line-ups England: Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; Toone; Hemp, Russo Australia: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Catley; Fowler, Van Egmond How did both teams reach the semi-finals? England (Winners Group D) 1-0 vs Haiti 1-0 vs Denmark 6-1 vs China 0-0 vs Nigeria (Won 4-2 on penalties) 2-1 vs Colombia Australia (Winners Group B) 1-0 vs Ireland 2-3 vs Nigeria 4-0 vs Canada 2-0 vs Denmark 0-0 vs France (Won 7-6 on penalties) If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch England vs Australia then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Read More England and Australia’s old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment Australia is having a moment — will Sam Kerr finally get hers against England? The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever How England’s Lionesses are preparing for Women’s World Cup semi-final England vs Australia team news and predicted line-ups FA ‘disappointed’ after Australia fans secure tickets in allocated England section
1970-01-01 08:00

Harry Maguire looking set to remain with Manchester United
Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire will not be moving to West Ham as it stands, the PA news agency understands. The 30-year-old centre-back became the most expensive defender in history when joining the Old Trafford giants from Leicester for £80million in 2019. Maguire was swiftly handed the captain’s armband, but a lack of form and game time led Erik ten Hag to last month name Bruno Fernandes as United’s new skipper. West Ham’s initial £20m bid for the England international was rejected before an improved offer in the region of £30m was accepted by the Red Devils last week. But the Hammers began looking at other potential options after the move stalled and it is now believed Maguire will be staying put. A source close to the player said he feels settled at United, remains confident of game time this season and did not speak to West Ham boss David Moyes during the process. Maguire was an unused substitute on Monday as United beat Wolves 1-0 – ahead of which Ten Hag indicated he had a future at the club if he fought for it. The fact United would have to find a replacement centre-back at this stage of the window is another consideration.
1970-01-01 08:00

Impressive win for Gateshead on the road at Dagenham
Gateshead picked up their first win of the season with a 4-2 victory over Dagenham at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. The visitors took the lead 35 minutes in through Luke Hannant’s first goal of the season. They doubled their advantage six minutes after the break when Marcus Dinanga smashed across goal and into the back of the net to make it 2-0. The home side pulled one back 18 minutes from time when the Daggers attack forced a mistake from the defence and Inih Effiong slotted home to cut their deficit to just one. But Gateshead restored their two-goal advantage three minutes later when Hannant cut inside on the right and finished for his second of the night. Dinanga also added another (83) to make it four and Charley Kendall’s late consolation for Dagenham could not stop Gateshead from sealing the three points. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00

Make Family Game Night Even Better With This New Cookbook Inspired by ‘The Settlers of Catan’
Settle your sweet tooth (and build some alliances in the process) with this all-new cookbook inspired by 'The Settlers of Catan.'
1970-01-01 08:00

Alabama football doubters show up to vote for AP Top 25
The preseason AP Top 25 Poll reflected how much the Associated Press is shorting Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide program this season.There were 63 first-place votes cast out in the initial AP Top 25 Poll, but not a single one of them went Alabama's way.This was the first time sin...
1970-01-01 08:00

Neymar leaves Paris St Germain for Saudi side Al Hilal
Neymar is the latest star name to take his talents to the Saudi Arabian Pro League after completing a move to Al Hilal. The 31-year-old has joined from Paris St Germain in a deal that could go up to 100 million euros (£86.3m). The Brazil forward add to the list of stars of world football to turn his back on a major European club, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane and N’Golo Kante to the Middle East. The move ends a six-year stay at PSG, who he joined from Barcelona for a world-record £200m fee in 2017. He leaves the Parc Des Princes having scored 118 goals in 173 matches and won five Ligue 1 titles. Neymar was left out of Luis Enrique’s squad for the opening league game of the season and did not feature in the Spaniard’s plans. PSG chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi told the club’s official website: “It is always difficult to say goodbye to an amazing player like Neymar, one of the best players in the world “I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris St Germain, and what he has contributed to our club and our project over the last six years. We had a great moment and Neymar will always be a big part of our history. “I would like to thank Neymar and his family. We wish Neymar all the very best for the future and his next adventure.” Neymar joins former Wolves captain Neves and ex-Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly at Al Hilal. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00