List of All Articles with Tag 'gb'

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below. Get all the latest live football odds here.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below. Get all the latest live football odds here.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below. Get all the latest live football odds here.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

A few months ago, Manchester United felt this summer would be quieter than last. They purchased five players in their first transfer window under Erik ten Hag. The aim was for a mere three major buys this year. They ended up adding four players on deadline day. They made more signings than in 2022. Typical United, always needing more players? Perhaps. But it is an indication plans can change. Sergio Reguilon, the fifth player through the door, could be seen as Tottenham’s fifth-choice left-back or a former Atletico and Real Madrid defender who was an astute recruit, given the lack of time and limited funds when Luke Shaw joined Tyrell Malacia on the injury list. Altay Bayindir’s aptitude for the role of Andre Onana’s deputy remains to be seen, but for now United know they have emerged in profit from a trade, selling Dean Henderson for an initial £15m – and when it seemed as though a loan with an option to buy was more likely – and replacing him for £4.3m. There was a pragmatism and a cost-conscious element to re-signing Jonny Evans, too, acquiring defensive cover on a free transfer. The signing of the 35-year-old, who first played for them in 2007 and was relegated with Leicester last season, nevertheless invited ridicule. It added to the sense United were patching up their squad on the cheap. With a different position, past and profile, Evans could be this window’s Wout Weghorst. All of which left the last deal of the day to feel like the defining one, for three months of trading to come down to the final few hours. Getting Sofyan Amrabat on loan from Fiorentina brought in the defensive midfielder their first three league games of the campaign underlined they needed. It seems like a fine piece of negotiating: one of the outstanding players in last year’s World Cup was acquired on loan, albeit for a €10m (£8.6m) fee. It also means United will need to pay €20m plus a further €5m in add-ons to buy him: if United had to advance some of this year’s budget to get Antony last summer, now an option to buy means some of 2024’s funds may have to be spent on the Moroccan. It also suggested that United got their priorities in the wrong order, with a pivotal position left until last and when the budget was drained. But United showed the creativity to get a deal done. But, to rewind a few months, two major requirements were evident: a centre-forward and a central midfielder. Harry Kane was the most obvious option but United were swift to rule out an offer, factoring in the difficulties of dealing with Tottenham chair Daniel Levy, perhaps realising they could not afford him while splitting their funds three ways, and maybe not expecting the England captain to go to Bayern Munich. Yet if Rasmus Hojlund was designed as the cheaper, younger alternative, United ended up paying £64m, rising to £72m, for potential, not proven performance, and the young Dane arrived injured. He could debut at Arsenal after the transfer window closed. The feeling at Old Trafford is that Ten Hag got his three major targets, and all relatively early. Yet the combined cost could reach £180m, including add-ons, thus rendering it impossible for United to make a fourth major buy – unless they made more significant sales. As loyal as they were to Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire, they perhaps ought to have done more to usher either or both towards the exit, and they have started the season looking like a team scarcely transformed by hefty investment. Each of the three main recruits has confounded expectations: Hojlund when many presumed Kane would come; Mason Mount instead of a more conventional midfielder; Andre Onana when David de Gea was long on the brink of staying. United’s change of heart came at a price – an initial £43m for a player who joined Inter on a free transfer last summer – but at least reflected Ten Hag’s ethos and ended the uneasy compromise with De Gea. Perhaps there was an ideological element to Mount’s arrival, too, looking to add more attacking incision to the midfield. Yet it was notable that last summer’s principal target, even before Casemiro, was Frenkie de Jong; the initial sense was that United might look for a player, such as Amrabat, who was more comfortable in a deeper role. Instead, the flagship signing has been deployed in a role he rarely occupied for Chelsea. And so Amrabat came to assume a greater importance. There was something anomalous in his presence in the second group of signings, the end-of-window assortment of loans, free transfers and cut-price deals to fill the gaps in the squad, rather than the expensive figures who were the cornerstones of the recruitment policy. United made a little go a long way in the final 24 hours. With a requirement to keep their net spend to around £120m, they needed to. “I think we have done good business,” said Ten Hag, before the signings of Reguilon, Evans and Amrabat were announced, though when he had in effect confirmed the Spaniard’s arrival. The squad now features 12 of his signings. But the eventual verdict on this summer’s splurge may come down to how three fare: not Onana, given the need to move on from De Gea. But Hojlund, who has to deliver the goals expected of a £72m striker; Mount, who has to justify Ten Hag’s decision to reinvent him; and Amrabat, the coup who could add solidity and has the potential to rescue United’s window. The last of them may be the best. Read More Erik ten Hag says Manchester United looking forward to ‘fight’ with Arsenal Mason Greenwood will begin to rebuild career with loan move to Getafe Mason Greenwood leaves Manchester United on loan Sofyan Amrabat ‘will put everything’ into playing for Manchester United Manchester United complete loan deal for World Cup star Deadline deals and Ricky Gervais plays hide-and-seek – Friday’s sporting social

Ciryl Gane takes on Sergey Spivak in the main event of UFC Paris this weekend, as the mixed martial arts promotion visits France for the second time. Twelve months ago, Gane beat Tai Tuivasa as the pair headlined the first ever UFC Paris event, but the Frenchman went on to lose to Jon Jones in March with the heavyweight title on the line. Gane was submitted by Jones in the first round to go 0-2 in fights for the undisputed title, having lost to Francis Ngannou in early 2022. Now the former interim champion looks to bounce back as he faces Moldovan Spivak, who is on a streak of three stoppage wins. In the co-main event, former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas moves up to flyweight to take on home fighter Manon Fiorot. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is UFC Paris? UFC Paris takes place at the Accor Arena on Saturday 2 September. The prelims are set to begin at 5pm BST (9am PT, 11am CT, 12pm ET), with the main card following at 8pm BST (12pm PT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help: Get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Odds Gane – 4/7 Spivak – 7/5 Via Betway. • Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Main card Ciryl Gane vs Sergey Spivak (heavyweight) Manon Fiorot vs Rose Namajunas (women’s flyweight) Benoit Saint-Denis vs Thiago Moises (lightweight) Volkan Oezdemir vs Bogdan Guskov (light-heavyweight) William Gomis vs Lucas Almeida (featherweight) Yannis Ghemmouri vs Caolan Loughran (bantamweight) Prelims Morgan Charriere vs Manolo Zecchini (featherweight) Taylor Lapilus vs Muin Gafurov (bantamweight) Zarah Fairn vs Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight) Nora Cornolle vs Joselyne Edwards (women’s bantamweight) Ange Loosa vs Rhys McKee (welterweight) Farid Basharat vs Kleydson Rodrigues (bantamweight) Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Max Holloway knocks out Korean Zombie before legend retires at UFC Singapore Sean O’Malley sparks outrage after claiming it’s OK if he cheats on his wife UFC Paris card in full as Ciryl Gane faces Sergey Spivak in heavyweight clash How to watch UFC Paris and what time does it start tonight? UFC president Dana White hits out at ‘idiot’ who tried to break into his house

The UFC makes its second ever trip to France this weekend, as Ciryl Gane fights Sergey Spivak in a heavyweight main event in Paris. Gane is looking to bounce back from a devastating defeat by Jon Jones, who submitted the Frenchman in Round 1 in March, winning the vacant heavyweight title in the process. That was Gane’s second time fighting for the undisputed heavyweight title, and it went the same way as his first effort – a decision loss to Francis Ngannou. Now Gane takes on Moldova’s Spivak, who is riding a three-fight win streak of two TKOs and one submission. Gane will hope for a statement stoppage win – like the one he secured 12 months ago, when he headlined the first ever UFC Paris event against Tai Tuivasa. In the co-main event, former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas moves up to flyweight to take on home fighter Manon Fiorot. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is UFC Paris? UFC Paris takes place at the Accor Arena on Saturday 2 September. The prelims are set to begin at 5pm BST (9am PT, 11am CT, 12pm ET), with the main card following at 8pm BST (12pm PT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help: Get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Odds Gane – 4/7 Spivak – 7/5 Via Betway. • Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Main card Ciryl Gane vs Sergey Spivak (heavyweight) Manon Fiorot vs Rose Namajunas (women’s flyweight) Benoit Saint-Denis vs Thiago Moises (lightweight) Volkan Oezdemir vs Bogdan Guskov (light-heavyweight) William Gomis vs Lucas Almeida (featherweight) Yannis Ghemmouri vs Caolan Loughran (bantamweight) Prelims Morgan Charriere vs Manolo Zecchini (featherweight) Taylor Lapilus vs Muin Gafurov (bantamweight) Zarah Fairn vs Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight) Nora Cornolle vs Joselyne Edwards (women’s bantamweight) Ange Loosa vs Rhys McKee (welterweight) Farid Basharat vs Kleydson Rodrigues (bantamweight) Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Max Holloway knocks out Korean Zombie before legend retires at UFC Singapore Sean O’Malley sparks outrage after claiming it’s OK if he cheats on his wife How to watch UFC Paris and what time does it start tonight? UFC president Dana White hits out at ‘idiot’ who tried to break into his house UFC Paris card in full as Ciryl Gane faces Sergey Spivak in heavyweight clash

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. Get all the latest Luton vs West Ham odds here This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

The Europa League group stage draw has been completed with Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham, who won the Europa Conference League last year, and Rangers discovering their opponents. Liverpool are the bookies' favourites, but Brighton are next up alongside Jose Mourinho's Roma, who recently bought Romelu Lukaku to boost their chances. Atalanta, Marseille and Villarreal are also contenders. Relive the Europa League group stage draw below and get all the latest football betting sites offers or sign up to bet365 using The Independent’s unique bonus code by clicking here: Read More Uefa calls added time rules ‘absurd’ and refuses to follow suit Rangers fail to qualify for Champions League after thrashing by PSV Eindhoven

The last fight between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr finished in chaos and confusion back in January. It was perhaps the only way the fight and the week could finish; there was a capacity crowd of just under 20,000 in Manchester and a ring packed with screaming people. On Saturday they do it all again and this time, it is serious. Manchester is once again the venue. Eubank Jr was dropped twice in the fourth but was up on unsteady legs, insisting he could continue, when it was called off after 69 unforgettable seconds. Eubank Jr was actually steered back to his own corner by Smith’s trainer, Joe McNally. It was an act of compassion surrounded by a night of hate and violence. The fight was stopped at the right time. Eubank Jr has since sacked his trainer from the night, Roy Jones Jr, and hired Brian BoMac McIntyre, who works with Terence Crawford. BoMac runs a strict gym and that is, probably, what Eubank Jr after 13 years as a professional and 35 fights desperately needs. It is never too late to learn in the boxing business. Smith returned to the Rotunda gym, arguably one of the most successful amateur boxing clubs in the world, and continued to prepare under the guidance of McNally. Smith and his party insist there will be more of the same when the bell sounds, and Eubank and his new gang are confident that they can change the outcome; both have enough to lose and an awful lot to gain from the fight. Smith has nothing to prove, Eubank Jr is under intense pressure. This fight has nothing to do with any parts of their colourful fighting history; this is just about repeat or revenge. The last time, the build-up was ugly and personal and this time it is just strictly business. Smith knows he can knock out Eubank Jr and Eubank Jr knows he can be knocked out. It was, trust me, a revelation to both boxers the way their first fight ended. Eubank Jr has conveniently claimed that he is a different man under BoMac’s glare, a smarter and better prepared fighter. He will need to be because, in the first fight, Smith was in control and looked in control. Sure, there was nothing in the fight up until the point where Smith trapped Eubank Jr in a corner and let his hands go. Eubank Jr slumped to the canvas, regained his feet, was dropped again and then got up one more time and was ready, so he claimed, to continue. He was not, it had to be stopped and that is where Saturday’s fight starts. The bad blood remains, the bragging rights are clear and the motive for revenge could not be any higher. At a time of pandering and preening YouTube boxers, crossover fights that only make sense at the bank, this second instalment is genuinely an old-school fight. There is no belt for family pride and that is a pity because that is the backdrop to this fight. Smith and his fighting brothers, Eubank Jr and his fighting father, uncles and cousins. Smith is confident that he can do it all again and Eubank Jr with the influence of BoMac is equally convinced that the result will be different. They can each look you in the eye and they would pass any test of truth – this is personal and that makes the most memorable fights. Smith at his best can do it all again, but Eubank Jr is fighting for his very survival. This is boxing at the very extreme. Watch Smith vs Eubank Jr 2 on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday 2 September, live from the AO Arena in Manchester Read More Chris Eubank Jr on Liam Smith, adrenalin, and how to be ‘box office’ Eubank vs Smith 2 live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Liam Smith: ‘Chris Eubank Jr is a nightmare – not for me, for other people’ Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith in heated debate over decisive factor in rematch Eddie Nketiah wins England call-up – Thursday’s sporting social Chris Eubank Jr on Liam Smith, adrenalin, and how to be ‘box office’

Luis Rubiales faces fresh criticism from his own family as the scandal surrounding the Spanish Football Federation president continues. Rubiales’ uncle gave an explosive interview accusing his nephew of being “obsessed with power, with luxury, and with women”. While Rubiales also sent a new video to Fifa appearing to show Jenni Hermoso laughing over his infamous kiss. In the video, Hermoso smiles as she shows her teammates a meme about the kiss to her teammates. Rubiales is still hoping to clear his name amid growing pressure to resign his post after Hermoso said the kiss was non-consensual and symptomatic of a broken culture in Spanish football. FOLLOW LIVE - Transfer news latest: Chelsea sign Cole Palmer on deadline day as Manchester United confirm signing Spain’s controversial manager Jorge Vilda meanwhile is on the verge of being sacked by the newly convened board of the Football Federation after he refused a request to resign. Follow all the latest updates from the Luis Rubiales crisis: Read More Luis Rubiales is just the latest crisis in Spanish FA’s dark history Luis Rubiales sends Fifa new video of Jenni Hermoso laughing over kiss on team bus England boss Sarina Wiegman: The issues around the Spanish team really hurts me

Chelsea have signed Cole Palmer from Manchester City for an initial £40m. The Blues could pay a further £2.5m in add-ons, boosting Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Palmer becomes Chelsea’s 13th signing of the summer and has penned a seven-year contract with an option to add a further 12 months to his stay at Stamford Bridge. FOLLOW LIVE - Transfer Deadline Day Latest: Ryan Gravenberch on brink of Liverpool move as Man Utd sign Turkish goalkeeper “I’m excited to get started and it feels great to sign,’ said Palmer. “I’ve joined Chelsea because the project here sounds good and because of the platform I will have to try to showcase my talents. “It is a young and hungry squad and, hopefully, we can do something special here.” While co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “Cole arrives with experience of winning the Premier League and Champions League and adds further quality and versatility to our attacking unit. ‘He has showcased his talent and potential in the most challenging environments and delivered on the international stage for England this summer at the European Under-21 Championships. He is undoubtedly ready for this next step and we are delighted it will be with Chelsea.” :: Get all the latest football betting sites offers here and the latest odds on transfer deadline day deals here. Read More Deadline day latest LIVE: Premier League transfers as the window prepares to shut Transfers latest LIVE: Premier League updates ahead of deadline day How Lukaku, football’s nearly man, became Mourinho’s ideal signing