Connect with us

Sports

Celtic v Rangers: Brendan Rodgers previews Old Firm game

Published

on


Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has warned Rangers they will face “the best version of the team since I’ve been here” in this weekend’s Old Firm derby.

Rodgers’ side will host Rangers on Saturday at lunchtime with a three-point advantage and a superior goal difference in the Scottish Premiership table.

A victory for the home team would give them a six-point lead with two games to play – and a goal difference at least nine better than Philippe Clement’s side.

While Rangers stuttered with a draw and a defeat following the 3-3 Old Firm draw in early April, Celtic have won their past three games to resume their grip on the title race.

“When I look at the injuries and disruptions we’ve had this season, last weekend was about there in terms of availability, fitness and where the team is at,” Rodgers told CelticTV.

“It’s as good a place as we’ve been all season. When we will arrive into this weekend’s game, this will be the best version of the team since I’ve been here.”

Rodgers was delighted with the energy his side showed in the 3-0 victory against third-placed Heart of Midlothian last weekend.

The Northern Irishman – who returned to Celtic last summer but was under pressure in February as Rangers went top of the table – was impressed with how “synchronised with and without the ball” his team was.

“It’s not a choice, it’s an obligation. It’s what you have to do. We are a running team. When we run, penetrate, press, counter-press… that’s our game,” he added.

“When we take the game to that level we play the game to a good level.

“That was the pleasing thing against a good Hearts team. Steven [Naismith] has coached them well to build through the pitch, but after the first 10-15 minutes we got our pressing right and the team was really compact and tight.”



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Challenge Cup: Huddersfield Giants 10-46 Warrington Wolves

Published

on


Warrington Wolves secure a dominant 46-10 victory over Huddersfield Giants to reach their first Challenge Cup Final since 2019, where they’ll meet Wigan Warriors.

READ MORE: Warrington crush Huddersfield to set up Wigan Wembley date

Available to UK users only.



Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

World Para Athletics Championships: Sabrina Fortune sets world record to win shot put gold

Published

on


Britain’s Sabrina Fortune twice extended the world record on her way to defending her shot put title at the World Para Athletics Championships in Japan.

Fortune, who competes in the F20 category for athletes with intellectual impairments, threw 14.56m in the second round in Kobe, improving the 14.39 mark set by Ecuador’s Poleth Mendes on her way to winning Paralympic gold in Tokyo in 2021.

The 26-year-old Welsh woman had taken the lead in the first round with 14.18 and with the gold medal secured, she improved again to 14.73 with the final throw of the competition.

“I’ve thrown two world records in a day which is incredible,” said Fortune, who also took world gold in Dubai in 2019 and retained her title in Paris last summer.

“I just had to tell myself after the first world record not to celebrate too early because I knew if I overdid it, I wouldn’t throw any further.

“It’s hard to put into words how it felt to throw even further. I just wanted to run round and round in circles.”

Mendes took silver with 13.90 with Neutral Paralympic Athlete Aleksandra Zaitseva in third with 13.01.

It is Britain’s third gold medal of the championships after victories for javelin thrower Hollie Arnold and high jumper Jonathan Broom-Edwards over the opening two days of competition.

Of the other Britons in finals action on Sunday, Mo Jomni was fifth in the men’s T53 400m while fellow wheelchair racer Mel Woods was seventh in the women’s T54 800m and sprinter Ali Smith seventh in the T38 100m.



Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Chelsea: Emma Hayes ‘absolutely leaving at the right time’

Published

on


Emma Hayes said she is “absolutely leaving at the right time” as her 12-year tenure in charge of Chelsea came to an end.

The 47-year-old bowed out with her fifth successive Women’s Super League title and her seventh overall.

An emphatic 6-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford means Hayes departs with 14 major honours, including five FA Cups and two League Cups.

In a thrilling finale to the WSL season, Chelsea pipped Manchester United to the title on goal difference.

“It has taken its toll,” Hayes said. “I categorically cannot carry on. I don’t have another drop to give it.

“There is so much of the job, dealing with people, and when you deal with people I have such high standards for myself that maintaining that has become impossible.

“I can’t keep up with the demands from players on a daily basis, in terms of their emotional needs, in terms of everything, and I’ve found that to be gruelling this year.

“I hope that the club really supports the new manager to get player care and a little bit more performance psychology.

“I really believe in the wellbeing, even though I can’t take care of it in the same way.

“I’ve made my suggestions to the sporting directors and I know they’ll take it on. It was lovely to have them here today.”



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2024 World Daily Info. Powered by Columba Ventures Co. Ltd.