List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Harrison Bader and Gleyber Torres homered to spark a comeback, leading the New York Yankees over the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 for a three-game sweep and their first four-game winning streak this season

Pep Guardiola insisted Manchester City’s latest Premier League title success should not be demeaned by suggestions Arsenal ‘bottled it’ in the run-in. Yet the City boss conceded his side would need to go on to win the Champions League to be regarded among the greats. City were confirmed as English champions for a fifth time in six years and a third season in succession after Arsenal lost to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Gunners had led City by eight points as recently as last month but their form deserted them at a crucial stage. Guardiola, however, paid tribute to his former assistant Mikel Arteta’s team after City celebrated their triumph with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday. Guardiola said: “There’s a tendency to underestimate. They are winners. “We pushed Arsenal but they are exceptional. They should be proud of where they have come from. They have to sustain it, that is the reality, but for me they are winners. They should be proud of where they have come from. They have to sustain it, that is the reality, but for me they are winners Pep Guardiola on Arsenal “They made me think a lot what I had to do to beat them, and they did it to us. Our relentlessness and not giving up, and having the feeling that we had to win otherwise it would not be possible, helped us a lot. “With the relationship I have with Mikel – congratulations for what they’ve done. He’s brought them back to what Arsenal was in the past. “Similar to Liverpool in previous seasons, they took us to our limits.” City hope the Premier League will prove the first leg of a glorious treble, with the FA Cup and Champions League finals to follow next month. Guardiola, who won the European competition twice as Barcelona manager, said: “We have the feeling we have done something exceptional in terms of the Premier League, but of course to be considered one of the greatest in Europe we have to win the Champions League. “Otherwise people will say our time here is not complete.” City have now won 12 Premier League games in succession in their charge to the title but Guardiola denied that would make their latest title win more special than the others. Of course to be considered one of the greatest in Europe we have to win the Champions League Pep Guardiola He said: “I’d not say it is more important. The Premier Leagues have been so tight, so this is not more special than the others. Every one is.” Chelsea’s interim manager Frank Lampard, whose side were beaten by an early Julian Alvarez strike, believes his side can learn a lot from the champions. The Stamford Bridge side’s season has been a huge disappointment, with a top-10 finish beyond them, but Lampard admits a huge amount has to change for them to even get close to their rivals. “Man City have not won three in a row through trotting out at half-intensity. To get to this level where you are lifting trophies there is a lot of work,” he said. “Everyone’s personal responsibility is ‘if I want to get to be like (Erling) Haaland and (Kevin) De Bruyne I need to put in the work those boys have put in’. “It is in their hands. I can’t say that how long it will take, it is down to the players, the direction of the club. To get where Manchester City are a lot of things have to align. “There is clearly talent in the squad, young talent, maybe a lack of stability and imbalance and they are maybe club issues.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ‘Unstoppable’ Manchester City players have the hunger to win more trophies Manchester City players and fans celebrate step one of the treble Nottinghamshire up to fourth in Division One after draw against Essex

Manchester City’s stars hailed the club as “unstoppable” and one of the best teams in Premier League history after they clinched their fifth title in six years. Arsenal’s loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday ensured City could not be beaten, and they sealed the achievement in style by defeating Chelsea 1-0 for their 12th consecutive league win. Defender Kyle Walker told Sky Sports: “Obviously every one is a very special moment. I think to not be sitting at the top of the league for as long as we were, I think it was 11 points at one stage, so to then come back just needing a victory out of one of the three games, it’s brilliant. “This group of lads are second to none. They’re professionals, they’re winners, and I think that’s how we get across the line more times than not. But we’re not finished. We’ve got the FA Cup against our bitter rivals Manchester United and then we’ve got the Champions League final.” City face United in the FA Cup final on June 3 before meeting Inter Milan a week later as they chase a first Champions League crown. “It would be fantastic but there’s a lot of football to be played before we can start saying about the treble,” said Walker. “We’ve got two massive finals. I think, just for this club and this group of lads that I’ve been involved with for six years, to say we’re up there with one of the greatest Premier League teams of all time, I think we have to go and conquer some of that. “To go and get this, I think we can really stamp our mark on being one of thegreatest teams of all-time in the Premier League.” I think we can really stamp our mark on being one of the greatest teams of all-time in the Premier League Kyle Walker Jack Grealish has been a key player in their recent winning run, and he said of his second Premier League title: “Obviously it’s different. For me personally, I feel this year especially I’ve played much more of a part. “I feel good in myself, I feel confident, back to my normal self and what I knew I could do.” Asked if City feel invincible, the England forward added: “It’s mad because I spoke to some of the lads not long ago and I said, ‘Imagine if someone would have said to you to win the league you’ve got to go and win 12 games in a row?’ “I’m not saying I didn’t think we could do it but it was going to be difficult. We’ve got so much talent in this squad and I think at the moment we feel unstoppable.” We've got so much talent in this squad and I think at the moment we feel unstoppable Jack Grealish It was a first title for goal machine Erling Haaland, who said: “(It’s) a dream. I don’t know what to say. It’s just unreal and I’m so happy. These are memories I will remember for the rest of my life. We’ve been fighting so hard. “Debut season, 36 goals so far, Premier League trophy and two finals left – not a bad start.” Kevin De Bruyne is now an old hand at winning titles with City, and he added: “I know people expect us to win a lot but we work every day for this and a lot of people sacrifice for us so we’re very grateful. “I think sometimes it’s more tough mentally than it is physically because you have to go again, again, again, but the team is hungry. I want to win more and keep going while I still can.” The emotions were a little different for midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who finally made his first Premier League start for the club. “Obviously it was a great feeling,” he said. “When I came in this morning the manager told me I was playing and I was just happy, to be honest. “But I was happy because we won the league the night before and I knew there might be a chance I could play. I just went home, relaxed, and I enjoyed every moment out here. “It’s been unbelievably tough, it’s probably been one of the lowest points in myself, confidence-wise, in my career. But, with the guys around me, the leaders that have kept me going, they told me I’d get my chance and luckily today I did. “I’m very lucky that I’ve got the guys around me to keep pushing me and working me as hard as possible.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester City players and fans celebrate step one of the treble Nottinghamshire up to fourth in Division One after draw against Essex Roberto De Zerbi provides warning for next season as Brighton prepare for Europe

The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of the first NBA Finals trip in franchise history after winning the first three games of the Western Conference finals over the Los Angeles Lakers

Manchester City celebrated with their fans after being crowned Premier League champions for a fifth time in six seasons. City were presented with the trophy for a third season in succession after comfortably beating Chelsea 1-0 in their final home match of the campaign at a sun-drenched Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Their latest triumph could be the first leg of a treble with City still having the FA Cup and Champions League finals – in which they will face Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively – to come next month. Supporters were in party mood after the title was confirmed on Saturday evening following second-placed Arsenal’s loss at Nottingham Forest. Thousands of fans waited outside the stadium entrance to welcome the team prior to the game. Blue flares were set off and there were chants of ‘champions’ as the players stepped off the bus. The celebrations continued throughout the game and for long after the final whistle. The trophy presentation had to be delayed after thousands of fans poured on to the pitch following the conclusion of the game, which a much-changed City side won courtesy of an early Julian Alvarez strike. After being handed the trophy on a podium set up in the centre circle, manager Pep Guardiola and the players embarked on a lap of honour to acknowledge the supporters. Before kick-off, Chelsea formed a guard of honour to welcome City to the field. The ‘Poznan’ fan dance was seen on a number of occasions during the game as fans made the most of the occasion. The players, who were joined by their families, seemed to enjoy themselves both on the field and, as pictures showed, back in the dressing room afterwards. Kevin De Bruyne, who had been a substitute against Chelsea, was one of number of players to run around the field playfully with his children. Yet, as full-back Kyle Walker said, with two big matches still to come, celebrations would remain modest. “We’re not finished, we’ve got the FA Cup against our bitter rivals and the Champions League final on June 10,” Walker told Sky Sports. “We will enjoy it today, we will have a few glasses of champagne but then we move on to June, which is the big one and hopefully we can create history with this great club.”

Roberto De Zerbi told Brighton supporters to get their passports ready but warned the club must continue improving ahead of their maiden European campaign next season. Evan Ferguson netted twice in the first half of Albion’s 3-1 victory over Southampton in front of a sold-out Amex Stadium, where Pascal Gross restored the two-goal advantage following Mohamed Elyounoussi’s header for the relegated Saints. The three points assured De Zerbi’s side would not finish lower than seventh, in the Europa Conference League spot, though a sixth-place finish and a Europa League berth are all but mathematically guaranteed. “Today is difficult for me because with my English I can’t explain my emotion,” said the Italian manger, who succeeded Graham Potter in September. “I think we deserve this. The club, the players, me, my staff, and the fans, they have to organise their passports to travel in Europe next year because we have to grow together.” De Zerbi, who last week was shortlisted for the Premier League’s manager of the season award, was increasingly animated on the touchline throughout Sunday’s contest, which was made more interesting when Elyounoussi nodded past Jason Steele after 58 minutes. It felt everyone in the stands held a single collective breath soon after when Theo Walcott lifted the ball over the Albion keeper but the potential Saints equaliser was chalked off for offside. Relief made way for elation when Gross fired in the hosts’ third from the edge of the area to put the game away. But De Zerbi warned booking tickets to Europe is just the beginning of a new era for Brighton, who now must ensure they have the squad to compete in four competitions next term. He said: “I think the history of the Premier League explains. It can happen, you achieve Europe and the next year you can find yourself at the bottom of the table. “Now is the crucial moment for the club. Not for Roberto, for the players, but for the club, because we have to keep this level. We have to build a squad to improve our level because I think (chairman) Tony (Bloom) and the club they don’t want to lose this level. “And to not lose this level we have to work harder in this transfer market, not only in the transfer market but to organise better and better and better because the victory can be dangerous. “If you celebrate the victory it’s right, it’s normal, but you have to improve. You have to work harder because you can lose the level.” De Zerbi admitted that at one point his high-flying Seagulls had set an internal goal of qualifying for the Champions League, adding: “I always think it is good for the players to fix the big target. “We have improved in mentality, we have improved in confidence, we had a target and we still have a target. We have to get another point to play in Europa League.” Anything below sixth for the Seagulls looks highly unlikely, with Albion enjoying a considerable advantage on goal difference and a game in hand on seventh-placed Villa, their final opponents of the campaign. Southampton were already relegated before Saturday’s contest. Ruben Selles’ contract is set to expire after the season, but he insisted that as far as he was aware reports about the potential appointment of Swansea boss Russell Martin as his successor were unsubstantiated. The Saints boss added: “About my future, again I’m not worried about my future. “I know that my contract expires at the end of the season and what the club decides, it’s going to be the club’s decision. “It’s not my decision, I cannot control it, so I cannot spend time on that.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sam Allardyce has no regrets about taking Leeds job after damaging West Ham loss Lee Gregory’s face mask returned following Sheffield Wednesday appeal Ronan O’Gara reveals Ireland ambition after latest Champions Cup success

Sebastien Haller scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat 10-man Augsburg 3-0 on Sunday to take control of the Bundesliga title race going into next week’s season finale. Haller, who had missed much of the season after being diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, broke the deadlock in the 58th minute and tapped in his second goal of the afternoon six minutes before the end to seal the win that lifted them above Bayern Munich and into top spot. Julian Brandt completed the win with a stoppage-time goal. Dortmund, whose last title win came in 2012 under then coach Juergen Klopp, are on 70 points, two ahead of Bayern. The Bavarians suffered a shock 3-1 home loss to RB Leipzig on Saturday. Dortmund host Mainz 05 on the last matchday while Bayern, who have won the last 10 league titles, travel to Cologne in their season finale.

Sébastien Haller has fired Borussia Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga with one round remaining by scoring two goals in a 3-0 win at 10-man Augsburg

Daniil Medvedev hadn’t won a single match in his three previous appearances at the Italian Open

Perhaps it was almost as Todd Boehly envisaged: a Chelsea game in May, the new champions given a guard of honour after securing what may prove the first of a treble, cruising to victory over fallen rivals. Except Chelsea had to form the guard of honour – in perhaps the closest they came to a coherent formation for quite some time – and Manchester City were celebrating in the sunshine. The nouveaux riches were companion clubs for years but, since each came into extreme wealth, they have never been separated by a greater gulf. If money has talked, and one has spent largely well in recent seasons, the other spectacularly badly in the last 12 months, the consequence is that City’s fifth league title in six seasons was sealed the day before they condemned Chelsea to a first bottom-half finish since 1996. City have the luxury of having Julian Alvarez as a second-choice striker; the rested Erling Haaland’s deluxe deputy is a World Cup winner and he extended their winning run to 12 league games. But, in a season of ignominies for Chelsea, there were more. Pep Guardiola’s team felt suddenly altered on Saturday night, City’s coronation prompting him to rest nine of the starters against Real Madrid. But his second-string side are better than the club with a £600m makeover; indeed City have more than twice as many points as Chelsea. Chelsea had lost to a severely weakened City in the FA Cup and did so again in the Premier League. Over the season, Chelsea have met City four times, lost all four and failed to score in each. Alvarez has scored against them in three competitions, whereas Chelsea have only found the net against anyone in two. Of their quartet of defeats, this may have been the most respectable. Real Madrid had conceded four at the Etihad, like Liverpool and Arsenal before them. Chelsea only let in one as City chalked up a 16th consecutive home win in 2023; indeed, incongruously, the last team to stop them on their own turf was Frank Lampard’s Everton. But the context changed the minute Nottingham Forest beat Arsenal. This became an exhibition game for City, a chance for Guardiola to turn to nine substitutes and make them starters. Even Kalvin Phillips got a belated first start for City. Some 364 days after the previous time he figured in a Premier League starting 11, he headed against the base of the post, a first City goal eluding him. He was part of a makeshift midfield with Rico Lewis and Phil Foden; one is often a full-back of sorts, the other normally found in the front three. It was a reason why City were more open than usual, though it scarcely mattered. More damningly, gaps magically appeared in Chelsea’s five-man defence when City scored. Cole Palmer picked out Alvarez and the Argentinian was free to place a shot beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga. Palmer began in terrific style and the 21-year-old almost marked just his second Premier League start with a goal, Trevoh Chalobah clearing his shot off the line. Foden came close with an audacious lob while Alvarez had a second goal ruled out because of a handball by Riyad Mahrez, his supplier. Alvarez was terrific but if no one else has a second-choice striker of such stature, City can argue he is a £14m bargain. Chelsea, with as many league goals as Haaland has on his own, lack any kind of potent first-choice centre-forward, let alone a high-grade understudy. A side with a marked aversion to scoring had the opportunities to level after making a timid start. Stefan Ortega denied Raheem Sterling a goal on his return to the Etihad Stadium. Sterling was thwarted, too, by a brilliant goal-line clearance from his former teammate John Stones, even if he was then ruled offside. Sterling came off to a standing ovation, but from the home faithful; named Footballer of the Year and scorer of 31 goals in a season for City may have felt nostalgic for his old club. His season, like Chelsea’s, has been a harrowing affair. Chelsea’s other threat stemmed from two of their own. Conor Gallagher headed Lewis Hall’s cross against the post. Hall and Gallagher acquitted themselves well, two youth-team products faring better than many of the buys. Meanwhile, Noni Madueke was strangely demoted to the bench by Lampard; Trevoh Chalobah ended up at left wing-back, irrelevant experiments as Chelsea’s season peters out. Guardiola brought on some of the regulars, in Stones, Rodri, Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne, which meant they had to flee in the pitch invasion after the final whistle. At least, though, they had something to celebrate. Two years ago, Chelsea beat City three times in six weeks and defeated them in a Champions League final. But, as one closes in on a historic treble and the other has endured one of the worst campaigns a superclub has ever had, it feels far longer ago. Read More Man City vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League trophy presentation delayed by pitch invasion Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League? Enzo Fernandez is Chelsea’s sole shining light to take into next season

Frank Lampard has revealed he will not stay on at Chelsea to work under their next manager, with Mauricio Pochettino expected to be confirmed as Graham Potter’s successor. Lampard has been in interim charge at Stamford Bridge for the last nine games, losing seven, and his short-term contract will expire at the end of the season. He is expected to focus on trying to get another managerial post after previous spells in charge of Derby, Chelsea and Everton while Pochettino is likely to be joined by his usual backroom staff of Jesus Perez, Miguel D’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano. And Lampard said: “A new manager will come in and bring his own coaches, for sure.” Chelsea gave new champions Manchester City a guard of honour before Pep Guardiola’s side beat them 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium and Lampard urged his players to show the same work ethic if they want to emulate them. He added: “I don’t think they should have to do a guard of honour to understand. Manchester City have not won three [Premier League titles] in a row through half intensity. They have had to work and work and work. The players have to understand that. They have to take personal responsibility and say: ‘I want to be [Erling] Haaland or [Kevin] De Bruyne, I have to put in the work they have.’ It is something they have to strive towards.” Chelsea will finish in the bottom half of the Premier League this season but Lampard believes it is up to the players what they achieve in the future. He said: “It is in their hands. I can’t say that how long it will take. It is down to the players and the direction of the club. This Premier League is getting tougher.” Read More Man City’s Premier League coronation shows how far their rivals have fallen Enzo Fernandez is Chelsea’s sole shining light to take into next season Mauricio Pochettino agrees Chelsea terms and plots summer transfers

Cameron Smith and Adam Scott have taken early advantage of the ideal scoring conditions in the final round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill