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BBC News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Second goal 'is on me'
Captain James Tavernier has accepted the blame for the goal that crushed Rangers' Europa League Barry Ferguson's side chased a late equaliser against Athletic Bilbao, Nico Williams got in behind Tavernier to head Oscar de Marcos' cross into the net and send the hosts through to the semis."First half we were a shadow of ourselves. We let the occasion get to us," Tavernier told TNT Sports."We tried to address it at half-time. We knew we had 45 minutes to address it. The boys tried to give it all but it wasn't enough."The second goal is on me, I was organising and switched off for the cross."Interim boss Ferguson has called for a swift resolution to his future and Tavernier insists he would be happy for the former skipper to be appointed on a permanent basis."We have to reflect on this season, it's not been good enough. There's going to be a lot of change, it can only get better," he added."I've been really happy since Barry came in, he's steadied the ship and knows the DNA of the club. I'd love to have Barry here next season, it's not up to me."
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'More than a miracle' - how Man Utd won in remarkable extra time
There were 109 minutes on the clock at Old Trafford when Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette effectively ended Manchester United's of fans headed for the exits with United 4-2 down on the night, 6-4 on aggregate, 11 minutes left. Game over."United need more than a miracle," Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports the miracle unfolded. But as the famous song goes, Man Utd will never Fernandes, perhaps the only United player to have done himself justice this season, pulled one back from the penalty spot after Casemiro was kicked during a frantic scrabble. Six minutes remaining. In the 120th minute, substitute Kobbie Mainoo cut inside his man and bent a stunning, curling strike into the bottom far been a difficult campaign for the young England midfielder after shooting to stardom last season, but this was a moment befitting of his square on the night and on aggregate. Penalties looming, six weeks after suffering shootout elimination in the FA Cup. Not today said Harry Maguire, the ultimate scapegoat figure of United's steady decline who continues to step up in big than a minute after Mainoo struck, Maguire was wheeling away in delerious celebration after heading in the winner. Bedlam."I've never seen anything like that as a spectator. It was an amazing thing. We saw so many fans leaving when it was 4-2 and you thought that was over," former United defender Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports."I said on commentary it would take more than a miracle to get back into it and now I'm actually a believer because that was outrageous." 'I have seen nothing like it' Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was similarly gobsmacked on BBC Radio 5 Live."The scenes inside Old Trafford are something else," he said."I have seen nothing like it. Bedlam. The stewards are on the pitch, fans are on the pitch and staff are on the pitch. Andre Onana is doing laps of celebrations. Old Trafford has not seen scenes like this for many a year."I don't think I have ever seen a game like that. They looked dead and buried. I have not seen that character from them all season."Superlatives, you run out of them."Never before have five goals been scored during a period of extra time in a European knockout comeback was as ludicrous as it was improbable, but when the Theatre of Dreams is concerned, strange things have been known to happen."You've seen special things happen at this club. I think back to the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Liverpool [in 1999]. It reminded me slightly, I know that's only 2-1 and this was 5-4," said former United midfielder Paul Scholes on TNT Sports."I always feel like when you get one here you've got a chance."Perhaps United defender Leny Yoro summed it up best."Honestly, I don't understand what's happened. It was crazy! The fans helped us to do it. When you hear the fans, even at 4-2 you know we can do it," he told TNT Sports."We needed to believe and if you don't believe you cannot win. This is what the fans deserve - they give everything at every game."United are 14th in the Premier League and will finish the season with their lowest-ever Premier League points now they have something to play for. Get past Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals next month, and they will contest the final at Bilbao's San that and they will play in the Champions League next won't be thinking about that though - they'll be reliving the scenes at Old Trafford on Thursday for years to come.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
O'Sullivan to make late decision on competing at World Championship
Seven-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan will give himself "as much time as possible" to decide whether to compete at the World Snooker Englishman, 49, has been an ever-present at the Crucible since turning professional in 1992 and would be going for a record eighth world title in the modern he has not played on the World Snooker Tour (WST) since January, when he withdrew from his Championship League group - and was so frustrated with his game that he snapped his cue after losing four of his five matches.O'Sullivan subsequently pulled out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace on medical grounds, missed the German Masters in Berlin and apologised to fans after electing not to play at the Welsh Open. He also withdrew from the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong in March, increasing speculation he may not return to action in Sheffield, where he is one of the seeds."I don't know yet. I haven't made my mind up, I'll probably make a decision on maybe 17 or 18 April," O'Sullivan said on TNT Sports."I don't know when I'm due to play my first match, so I'm going to try and leave myself as much time as possible."I'd love to be able to go there and play. I'd love to be able to have the confidence to be able to get my cue out and go and play snooker."I just need to give myself as much time as possible to see where I'm at with it, and see whether it's something I'm going to be able to do."The World Championship, which is regarded as the sport's toughest test, begins on 19 April and runs for 17 days until 5 May. Qualification for the event ends on 16 April and if 'The Rocket' were to withdraw on the eve of the tournament, it would mean a qualifier receiving a bye to the second round. O'Sullivan outlines present struggles O'Sullivan memorably defended his world crown in 2013, despite only having played one competitive match prior to the showpiece event after taking an extended break from snooker that won five tournaments last term and reached the semi-finals at the Xi'an Grand Prix, Shanghai Masters and Riyadh Season Snooker Championship earlier in this even though he is widely regarded as the game's greatest-ever player and has broken almost every record in the sport, he has repeatedly stressed that he has found things tough in recent years."It's been a real struggle," he added. "I've tried to play my way through. I've had moments and glimpses where I thought: 'OK, this is OK.'"But on the whole, probably three-and-a-half years out of the last four have been pretty terrible for me and that's kind of took its toll."I kind of got a bit tired. It kind of ground me down to the point where I kind of lost the love for the game."That's why in January, I snapped my cue just in temper, in frustration. I don't really want to feel like that, so I've taken time out. I am just gonna try and fix what I think is the problem before I come back to play serious snooker again."
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
England set-up not a 'lazy environment'
Captain Jos Buttler has rejected the idea England have not trained enough during their difficult tour of India, saying they do not have a "lazy environment".England were thrashed by 142 runs in the third one-day international, meaning they end the trip with seven defeats from eight limited overs India captain Ravi Shastri and ex-England skipper Kevin Pietersen questioned England's preparation and suggested they had not spent enough time in the nets."[I am] not sure that is quite true," Buttler, 34, said. "We try to create a really good environment but don't mistake that for a lazy environment or lack of effort. "The guys are desperate to perform and improve." While England did not train before the second and third ODIs, they did before the first match and also did so regularly during the preceding T20 series. India also opted to not train before the third ODI in tour was the first under new coach Brendon McCullum, who has prioritised a more relaxed team environment since becoming Test coach in 2022. All training sessions under McCullum are three ODIs were played across seven days. The first match was in Nagpur on Thursday, the second 500 miles away in Cuttack on Sunday and the third a two-hour-40-minute flight away three days have also been managing various injury issues throughout the tour, which began on 22 January and is immediately followed by the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. "There have been a couple of times we have not trained but we have done plenty of training throughout the tour," Buttler said. 'It took me 18 months to untangle the rubbish' England, who have lost four one-day international series in a row, have struggled with the bat throughout the tour, particularly against spin. They were bowled out for 214 in Ahmedabad - the sixth time they have been dismissed across the on TNT Sports, former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior suggested some of the players should have spent more times in the nets."You have to give yourself the best chance to perform," he said. "A lot of the younger guys, you would expect them to make the choice to get the extra nets in and work with McCullum who scored runs in the sub-continent."Sometimes you have to make that choice. It is those hard yards that earn you the right to have your day out."But former England bowler Steven Finn said practising too much can have a negative impact."You play, travel, play. It fatigues you," he told TNT Sports."It is an eight-week long trip towards the end of the Champions Trophy. On the face of it you think they should be in the nets but you can also compound bad habits."On the 2013-14 Ashes tour, I spent the entire tour making bowling complicated in my head by practising."The more I practised the worse I got. It took 18 months to untangle the rubbish I put inside my head by complicating the game."England have already lost all-rounder Jacob Bethell for the Champions Trophy, which begins on 19 February, because of a hamstring injury. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith is recovering from a calf issue, bowler Brydon Carse is managing a toe problem and their issues were added to by a groin injury to opener Ben Duckett on sustained the injury in the field and was clearly hampered while batting as he limped throughout his 34 from 22 travel to the UAE where Duckett will be assessed before the squad moves to Lahore next week for their Champions Trophy opener against can be replaced if necessary but any replacement must be ratified by the International Cricket Council."He has been playing really well," Buttler said. "Hopefully it is not too bad. We will find out more in the next few days."
BBC News
30-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Warne-esque' Alana shines at the King's HQ
There is something about Melbourne and leg-spinners. Just as the legendary Shane Warne did with such theatre and magic throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Alana King is the latest to master a very difficult craft to bamboozle English batters during an Ashes tour. King has taken 18 wickets in the series so far at an average of just has regularly worked her way through England's top order with guile and control, combined with the classical theatrics of a leg-spinner, which makes every ball an event in itself. And fittingly, in front of two Shane Warne stands - one at the Junction Oval for the second one-day international and now in the MCG Test - she has taken 4-25 and 4-45 respectively. "King has been devastating. She gets the ball drifting in and then turning away, almost unplayable deliveries," former England fast bowler Steven Finn said on TNT Sports."She has been Shane Warne-esque. It was quite fitting that she was getting the ball to rip and spit so much in front of his stand." It also seems that King has managed to add the sneaky mind-games of a leg-spinner into her armoury, alongside her consistency and sharp turn. When she comes into the attack, you are on the edge of your seat in anticipation and England know it - all their gameplans to spin seem to fly out of the window. The visitors, already 12-0 down and staring down the barrel of a clean sweep in the multi-format series, were bowled out for 170 on day one and such has been Australia's dominance, it felt like King had won the battle before she had even bowled a single ball. She managed to remove three of England's set batters - Sophia Dunkley was caught and bowled for 21, Danni Wyatt-Hodge nudged the ball to short leg for 22 and Nat Sciver-Brunt was bowled for the fifth time in a row for 51, the only notable contribution of the innings. "King is a fantastic bowler and she sets brilliant plans to different batters as well," England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss said on TNT Sports. "Once she got into her groove, it looked like she was going to get a wicket every single ball she bowled. The skill level and the control she has, particularly for a leg-spinner, is unbelievable." King's contribution ensured that England's challenge of avoiding a 16-0 drubbing is already looking unlikely. She was offered valuable support by the rest of a formidable attack that has regularly left England bewildered over the past three weeks. Seamer Kim Garth finished with 2-13 from 10 overs, Darcie Brown took two wickets with her pace and off-spinner Ash Gardner offered plenty of control with her have got to think creatively if they are to take the remaining nine Australian wickets as quickly as possible, with all-rounder Tahlia McGrath's place at number eight an ominous reminder of their strength in depth. Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone is likely to play a key role considering the turn that King produced, as England may rue the omission of Charlie Dean's off-spin in favour of the extra seamer in Ryana Macdonald-Gay. But while Ecclestone is the world's best bowler and could hold the key to hopes of an England fightback, the series as a whole belongs to King for now. "I'd probably have Sophie Ecclestone as the best all-format spinner because of her ability to bowl at every stage of an innings," Finn added. "In a T20 game, she's bowling the 18th or 20th over. But Alana King, at the moment, is the most dangerous for taking wickets."
