List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Manchester City face arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Here, the PA news agency looks at how Pep Guardiola’s side made it to Wembley. Man City 4 Chelsea 0 (third round, Jan 8) City sailed through with surprising ease as Chelsea put up little resistance at the Etihad Stadium just three days after a hard-fought Premier League clash between the sides at Stamford Bridge. A superb Riyad Mahrez free-kick, a Julian Alvarez penalty and a Phil Foden effort effectively wrapped up the contest in the first half. Mahrez completed the scoring from the spot late on. Man City 1 Arsenal 0 (fourth round, Jan 27) City edged a tight and entertaining game that lived up to its pre-match billing as a heavyweight contest. A tidy finish from defender Nathan Ake, placing a shot into the bottom corner after good work from Jack Grealish, settled the tie in the 64th minute. Bristol City 0 Man City 3 (fifth round, Feb 28) Foden struck twice as City saw off their Championship hosts with little alarm. The England midfielder opened the scoring after seven minutes when he turned home a low Mahrez ball at the back post and made victory certain with a deflected effort after the break. Kevin De Bruyne added a brilliant third with a low curling shot from outside the area. Man City 6 Burnley 0 (quarter-finals, Mar 18) City gave their former captain Vincent Kompany a hero’s reception on his return to the Etihad – but showed his Championship-leading side little mercy on the field. The prolific Erling Haaland, who had smashed five past RB Leipzig just days earlier, helped himself to a hat-trick as the Clarets were put to the sword. Alvarez weighed in with a double and Cole Palmer also got on the scoresheet in the rout. Man City 3 Sheff Utd 0 (semi-finals, Apr 22) Another promotion-challenging Championship side failed to lay a glove on City as Guardiola’s men booked a return to the final for the first time in four years after three successive semi-final defeats. Mahrez took centre-stage by scoring the first FA Cup semi-final hat-trick since 1958 and the first at Wembley. The Blades were made to rue missing a gilt-edged early chance through Iliman Ndiaye as Mahrez grabbed his first from the spot, ran through the defence for a fine solo second and swept in to complete his treble. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How managers Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag fare ahead of FA Cup final How Manchester United reached the FA Cup final for a 21st time Former Wrexham defender Neil Taylor warns club to avoid ‘circus’ over signings

Former Wrexham defender Neil Taylor has told the club’s Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds to stay clear of signing big-name “over the hill” players and avoid a “circus”. Actors McElhenney and Reynolds have transformed Wrexham since buying the club in February 2021, with the Dragons set to end a 15-year absence from the English Football League after winning the National League title. Wrexham’s promotion has seen them linked with several prominent names, among them former Real Madrid and Wales star Gareth Bale, who McElhenney and Reynolds attempted to lure out of retirement. Former Wales forward Hal Robson-Kanu and ex-Blackburn and Norway midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen, now 41, have also offered their services to Wrexham since promotion to the fourth tier was won. “It can’t become a circus. It’s still a football club that needs to be successful because no one will pat you on the back if you don’t do it properly,” said Taylor, the former Swansea, Aston Villa and Wales full-back who began his senior career at Wrexham. “Leave those players that are over the hill. I’d say to Hal ‘I don’t think you’re getting in over Paul Mullin. You’re retired now and he’s a top-class striker’. “People think League One and League Two is easy but they’re not. It’s really hard football, harder arguably than when you play higher up with the amount of games, travel and some of the grounds you play at. “So I’d say to Wrexham, stay clear and go for players who know the league and have been successful in it, players who are hungry to get higher up.” Taylor, who grew up in north Wales at nearby Ruthin, predicts Wrexham will mount another strong promotion challenge in League Two next season. Several members of Phil Parkinson’s squad – among them top scorer Mullin, Ollie Palmer, Elliot Lee and skipper Ben Tozer – have extensive experience playing in the EFL. “Hopefully that success continues and I don’t see any reason why not with the squad they’ve got,” said Taylor. “They will strengthen this summer but it’s already a ready-made team to do well in League Two. But if you’re a good player in League One or League Two and Wrexham knock on the door, you’re going to go there. They've got to be careful who they get through the door because, in my mind, there's no bigger pull than Wrexham below the Championship Neil Taylor “You’ll look at the brand and the commercial value of it and see how Paul Mullin’s gone from Tranmere to having a book out. “It shows how good going to Wrexham can be for your career and agents will clamour to get their players at the club. “But they’ve got to be careful who they get through the door because, in my mind, there’s no bigger pull than Wrexham below the Championship.” Taylor was 19 when he was part of the Wrexham side relegated from the EFL in 2008 and he admires McElhenney and Reynolds for their impact on the football club and the wider community in general. He said: “When I started there – and I was carrying the water for the first team at 16 – the Racecourse was full. “But by the time you’re getting relegated, there were 2,500 in the stadium and you see the decline. “It was tough for many years, so to see them promoted was emotional because I know many people connected with the club who are still there when I was.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How managers Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag fare ahead of FA Cup final How Manchester United reached the FA Cup final for a 21st time How Manchester City reached first FA Cup final for four years

Conor McGregor has seemingly sparked new beef with YouTuber, True Geordie, after releasing a Twitter voice note calling him a range of horrendous names. "Mr Oestrogen, what's happening?”, he began, before adding: “F*** me, man. Who scalded you with a kettle you fat f***? You fat nobody.” But between all the expletives, it seemed like the bottom line was McGregor asking him to stop talking about him behind his back. It comes after True Geordie (real name Brian Davis), expressed worry about the UFC fighter 'being on drugs' after a recent over-the-top interview. Click here to sign up for our newsletters

They were No. 8 seeds

The tradition of hockey’s playoff beard goes back to at least the mid-1980s, with the Detroit Red Wings getting widely credited with beginning the facial hair phenomenon

England Women’s Women’s World Cup 2023 squad for Australian and New Zealand will be confirmed this afternoon by Sarina Wiegman. The Lionesses will hope to win the World Cup for the first time, adding to their European crown from last summer. Injuries have hit the Lionesses hard already though, with Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby out, while Beth Mead, the winner of the Golden Boot at last summer’s Euros, is also a major doubt. Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze are also facing fitness battles and Wiegman will be speaking to the media from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham to explain her decisions and thoughts ahead of this summer. Follow live build-up to the squad announcement, reaction and analysis: Read More Predicting England’s Women’s World Cup squad: Who’s on the plane and who could miss out? England World Cup squad announcement: Five key decisions Sarina Wiegman must make England can win World Cup despite injury problems – Jill Scott

Governments in major European countries are putting pressure on FIFA and public broadcasters to resolve a dispute over

Britain is heading into a second consecutive summer of train strikes this week as union bosses and ministers

Brentford have signed Netherlands goalkeeper Mark Flekken on a four-year contract. The deal, which brings the four-times capped Flekken from Bundesliga side Freiburg, is subject to international clearance and work permit. “We’re very happy to have signed Mark,” head coach Thomas Frank told the official Brentford website. “He’s a player with a lot of quality who will strengthen our goalkeeper group. “He has big experience and joins us after two great seasons with Freiburg, who have just had a top season in the Bundesliga, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Europa League. “He was a big part of the team there and now he’s coming to us and will hopefully make the group better and the team better. “He’s a very good shot-stopper and comfortable with the ball at his feet. His distribution is very impressive.” Flekken began his career in his native Netherlands at RKVV WDZ and Roda before moving to Germany, where he has played for Alemannia Aachen, Greuther Furth, Duisburg and Freiburg. The 29-year-old made his Netherlands debut in March 2022 and kept 13 clean sheets in 34 Bundesliga matches – the highest tally in the division last season. Frank has said Brentford goalkeeper David Raya could leave the club this summer after four successful seasons in West London. But Frank warned interested parties that it will cost them £40million to sign the 27-year-old Spaniard. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

French Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera says Novak Djokovic’s political message about Kosovo was “not appropriate

Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí learned when she was the only girl playing on her village’s soccer team that she would have to fight for the game she loved

Yogi Berra famously said "It ain't over 'til it's over," but one of the greatest careers in baseball history might have been over before it had even begun.