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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'This is why great sport is irresistible'
Arguably the most dramatic moment involving the Premier League at the weekend, happened in the Championship playoffs when Sunderland magically gained promotion in the 95th-minute of the final at Wembley. Tom Watson's fabulous goal may be one of the most lucrative strikes in football history considering the money Sunderland will now bank. Tom could just as likely have seen the keeper read the shot a mere millisecond quicker and Michael Cooper would have tipped it round the post, but the keeper was short by a centimetre. Luck and skill together determining all in an instant. Another Tom Watson, this time the golfer, holed a chip on the 17th at Pebble beach in the 1982 US Open and it was just as iconic. Had Tom's chip been a centimetre to the left or right and not hit the flag then dropped in, a two putt was almost certain. Jack Nicklaus would have caught him, he might not have become champion and history would have changed. This is why great sport is irresistible. The skill, the luck and the tiny margins change life courses and produce memories and passions never to be forgotten. Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Never to be forgotten
Mo Salah has signed up again as has Virgil van Dijk and neither appears to have been even slightly diminished by age, judging by my visit to Anfield on midfield of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch were incredible, both exceptional defensively and offensively - but, more importantly, playing as a duo. They must have been horrible to play against, which is a huge in Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai, and the average age of the quartet is still under 25. These midfielders are just coming into their prime and are set fair to be the next generation of trophy winnersOn top of this, Liverpool will undoubtedly add more quality around them, possibly even a top-level striker, improving them from a side that has romped home as champions by a country thing that stays with me is the joy on the face of every fan post-match. How many days can you truly say, with confidence, that you will never forget for the rest of your life?Wherever you travelled from, whatever you paid, if you were in that stadium, it was a day seared in the memory if you were a is why we love football, every now and again it provides those life-affirming moments - and this was one for every fan, player or worker at that up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
From bad to worse for Man Utd
The present is looking dreadful for Manchester United but the future looks even bleaker.While the media was obsessed with the Andre Onana situation, sorting who is between the sticks is among the least of their problems. Oddly I thought the United players worked hard enough and gave what they had but that is worrying because that leaves only two possibilities. First, they were unlucky, but you don't get that unlucky for an entire season.The second is more worrying and more likely, they simply aren't good enough as individuals or a group to be competitive in the Premier League.If they have to stick with this squad, adding only minor tweaks here and there, United fans will suffer at least another season of this abject torpor and they know it. Ruben Amorim has switched and changed every player possible within his system, trying Altay Bayindir in goal instead of Onana was just a last throw of a dice that seems loaded against him. The team he is looking for isn't in there.His revulsion against any system other than his beloved 3-4-2-1 however, is beginning to look dogmatic to the level of daftness. Amorim is not the first manager to inherit a damaged and uncoordinated squad at Old Trafford, but it looks like he might have the toughest job of all since Sir Alex Ferguson left the up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
BBC News
01-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Tuchel must have noticed Eze's stellar week'
Eberechi Eze was in stunning form as Crystal Palace advanced in the FA Cup on Saturday, so should he be more integral to England's plans?His first goal for England showed that he was the player most willing to try the unexpected, on what was a regulation 3-0 win against is only one goal in 10 international appearances for Eze, but, bar one, each has been from the bench, often in an unsuitably defensive position and he is first and foremost a creator anyway. So that equates to one goal in 280 minutes of football, basically one goal in three games worth of playing time, so not bad after all.In a crowded field with Jack Grealish, Noni Madueke, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Cole Palmer and others now including Marcus Rashford, all vying for those creative positions, his name has often been left out of the conversation, but it shouldn't be.He destroyed Fulham with another brilliant goal and an equally impressive assist, so he will be heading for Wembley again soon enough this time with Crystal Palace. His attacking skill set as a winger who can beat players with ease is up there with the 26, he is now entering his prime. Maybe now he should be getting a few more starts for his country, Thomas Tuchel must have noticed his stellar week.Eze must make use of this time in the spotlight, if he doesn't there will soon be someone else up there nudging him out of the up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Maybe the most heart-warming story in English football this season'
The fans might expect blood, sweat and tears every time a player adorns the Three Lions shirt but in truth they have to manage their situations. Another two cruise-controlled performances at Wembley, with players not wanting to risk injury, was always going to be very is different for some players and while a random single England cap might mean less to someone like Jude Bellingham in years to come, for Dan Burn it was nothing short of a dream. It is rare in the modern era for such an unorthodox player, so late in developing and so generally loved to get this fabulous moment at wasn't a sympathy cap either, he absolutely deserved that first call up against Albania at the age of 32. When you add the cup final for Newcastle, his local hero, and iconic-in-an-instant goal, it may well be the best, most heart-warming story in the whole of English football this season. It makes you believe that this corporate controlled, money driven game actually might have a soul after up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
