Thomas Frank takes charge of his first Spurs league match against Burnley while Arsenal travel to Manchester United
Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Villa Park
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 things to look out for on the opening weekend
Another new era at Tottenham, De Cuyper can shine for Brighton and Aston Villa remind us this is a business
A visit to an expectant Anfield, where Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké will be out to impress on their Premier League debuts, represents a daunting start for a Bournemouth team that have lost three-quarters of last season’s backline to the pulling power of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool this summer. Defensive issues are not exclusive to Andoni Iraola before the Premier League opener, however. Arne Slot voiced concern over the champions’ pre-season vulnerability before and after the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, when the absence of Ryan Gravenberch for family reasons was keenly felt. “Three times we lost the ball very simple in our midfield and three times they could counterattack us,” reflected the Liverpool head coach. Gravenberch will be missing again on Friday due to suspension but Slot expects the team with the second-best defensive record in the Premier League last season to react as soon as the serious business begins. “Mixed teams, new players coming in, Virgil [van Dijk] being sick, Alisson not being there,” he listed as reasons for Liverpool’s recent difficulties on Thursday. “But all of this is not an excuse when we start the league. We will 100% be ready on Friday.” Andy Hunter
Liverpool v Bournemouth, Friday 8pm (all times BST)
Aston Villa v Newcastle, Saturday 12.30pm
Brighton v Fulham, Saturday 3pm
Sunderland v West Ham, Saturday 3pm
Premier League fans’ previews: our club-by-club guide to 2025-26
The Guardian’s fans network looks ahead to the new season: fresh talent, weak links, and who will be sacked first
Optimism abounds in London N5. I had some doubts about Arteta’s ability to keep motivating this group, but this summer’s heavy spend should fix that, reinvigorating the squad. Only time will tell whether the new faces can gel and develop chemistry, but it’s a relief to have the clamour for a centre-forward answered at last. Hopefully come May we’ll be lauding Victor’s veni, vidi, vici Premier League triumph.
Bernard Azulay onlinegooner.com; @GoonerN5
Jonathan Pritchard (With thanks to Ozzy and all the Holte Enders in the Sky.)
Continue reading...Mascots, dogs, and cogs: the Tour de France Femmes 2025 – in pictures
The fourth edition of the Tour de France Femmes has come to an end with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot taking the yellow jersey after nine gruelling stages. We take a look at the best images from the last two weeks
Continue reading...Alexei Popyrin rallies to stun Holger Rune and keep Canadian title defence alive
Defending champ wins 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in round of 16 at National Bank Open
Australian faces top seed Alexander Zverev in last eight in Toronto
Defending champion Alexei Popyrin rallied from a set down to beat world No 9 Holger Rune 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals.
The Australian will put his growing reputation as one of the biggest giant-killers on the tour to the test when he faces Alexander Zverev in the last eight, after the top seed benefited from Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo withdrawal while the German was leading 6-4, 1-0.
Continue reading...Claressa Shields eases past Lani Daniels to defend undisputed heavyweight title
Shields wins on points before 15,366 in Detroit
Defends undisputed women’s heavyweight title
Daniels offers some resistance but is outclassed
Claressa Shields retained her undisputed women’s heavyweight championship with a commanding unanimous decision over Lani Daniels on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The judges scored the bout 100-90, 99-91 and 99-91 in favor of Shields, who improved to 17-0 (3 KOs). It marked the third straight main event appearance in Detroit for the 30-year-old Flint native and two-time Olympic gold medalist, who remains the only boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in three different weight classes.
Continue reading...Ray French, former BBC rugby league commentator, dies aged 85
Played internationally in union and league
Led BBC coverage for 38 years
Ray French, the former rugby league commentator, has died at the age of 85. He had been living with dementia.
He played internationally in union, winning four caps in the second row for England in 1961, before moving to league and joining his home town club, St Helens, that year and helped them win the Challenge Cup in 1966. He appeared four times for Great Britain, in 1968.
Continue reading...Dogg among the Swans: Rapper Snoop Dogg buys stake in Swansea City
Championship club under majority American ownership
Luka Modric joined as investor and co-owner in April
The American rapper Snoop Dogg has bought a minority stake in the Championship club Swansea. The deal was announced three months after the Croatia international Luka Modric joined as an investor and co-owner.
Snoop Dogg helped to launch Swansea’s new home shirt on Monday. The 53-year-old is a keen sports fan and has described Celtic as his favourite football club in Scotland. He said last month he would love to open a burger van at Celtic Park.
Continue reading...Leicester appoint former QPR manager Martí Cifuentes on three-year contract
Spaniard left QPR last month by mutual consent
Foxes had also spoken to Gary O’Neil and Chris Wilder
Leicester have confirmed the appointment of Martí Cifuentes to fill the vacancy left by Ruud van Nistelrooy after relegation from the Premier League last season.
The Spaniard left QPR last month having been placed on gardening leave in April at the tail end of a Championship campaign that resulted in a 15th-placed finish in the 24-club division. Rangers finished seven points above the relegation places and the 43-year-old Cifuentes left by mutual consent last month.
Continue reading...Elisa Longo Borghini retains Giro d’Italia Women title as Lippert wins final stage
Italian holds on to pink jersey on closing run to Imola
Liane Lippert pips Anna van der Breggen in late burst
Elisa Longo Borghini has retained her Giro d’Italia Women title, holding on to the pink jersey she claimed on Saturday’s queen stage as the race concluded at Imola.
Longo Borghini (Team UAE ADQ) sealed her second victory at her home Grand Tour, after losing just four bonus seconds to Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser (Movistar) on the final stage, winning the title by 18 seconds overall.
Continue reading...Archer back to face India at Lord’s as Wood makes surprise bid to return in fifth Test
Archer only change for third Test as Tongue drops out
Fellow pace bowler Wood targeting final Test at The Oval
Jofra Archer will start his first Test match in more than four years after being named as the only change in the England team to face India in the third Test at Lord’s on Thursday.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse are both retained after the defeat to India at Edgbaston which squared the series 1-1, with Josh Tongue making way for Archer.
Continue reading...David Porecki returns to Wallabies team to face Fiji after 643-day international absence
Hooker to partner James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa in front row
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii returns after recovering from broken jaw
The Wallabies have opted for experience in their front row to face Fiji this weekend, with former captain David Porecki called back into the team, 643 days since he last pulled on a gold jersey.
Porecki, 32, was named on Friday in the starting XV for Sunday’s Test in Newcastle, alongside all-time cap record holder James Slipper and 80-Test tighthead Allan Alaalatoa, in a forward pack missing big guns Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, who both have calf injuries.
Continue reading...England call Jofra Archer into squad for second Test against India at Edgbaston
Bowler last in Test setup in February 2021
Archer played first red-ball match in four years this week
England have fast-tracked Jofra Archer into their squad to face India in the second Test at Edgbaston next week despite the misgivings of the bowler’s coach at Sussex.
The 30-year-old fast bowler returns to the Test setup for the first time since March 2021 after successfully coming through his first red-ball match for 1,501 days in Sussex’s match at Durham this week.
Continue reading...Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan opens up on mental health struggles and hitting ‘rock bottom’
AFL star speaks about struggles for the first time since taking a leave of absence
He says there were times he ‘didn’t want to leave the house’ but he wants to play football again
The Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has opened up about his mental health struggles for the first time since taking a leave of absence, saying there were times he “didn’t want to leave the house”.
The former No 1 draft pick is hoping to make his AFL comeback after recently visiting a health retreat in northern New South Wales.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org
Continue reading...Maro Itoje to captain British & Irish Lions for first time in Argentina warm-up
XV features Marcus Smith, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith
Tadhg Furlong also has the chance to prove his fitness
Maro Itoje will captain the British & Irish Lions for the first time in their non-cap international against Argentina in Dublin on Friday.
The England skipper Itoje leads a starting XV that features Marcus Smith at full-back and will be directed by England half-backs Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith.
This story will update
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