Sporting Week in Review:

Posted by Rob Shepherd on Friday, April 21, 2017

As we reach the tail end of the footy season, the games are non-stop! Is the title race as over as we think it is? What about relegation, who is favourite for the drop now? Continuing our look at what’s hot in sporting news.

In the football world, things are getting exciting. The title doesn’t seem the total dead cert that it did just a couple of weeks ago, the fight for European places is tight, so tight! European action has brought an incredible week to a close.

Spurs Keeping up the Pace x2

On the back of a 4-0 win in our last week’s round up, Tottenham did it again with a 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth. This was Tottenham’s seventh top-flight win in succession and is their best run since 1967.

Son Heung-min was yet again in inspired form on the back of his double last time out and scored the second in a game which also saw Dembélé, Kane and Janssen score goals. Spurs fans will be pleased to see Harry Kane back in the starting line-up after a month on the side-lines.

Kane’s goal makes him the fourth player to score 20 Premier League goals in three consecutive seasons after Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry.

Bournemouth for their part were hugely disappointing, managed one shot on target and remain seven points above the bottom three with six games left to play.

Hull City Make Life Tough

I feel sorry for any Tigers fan who suffers from a weak heart, I’d recommend to them that they watch the rest of the season from their local A&E department! Hull City at home are great, beating Middlesbrough, West Ham, Swansea and even beating Manchester United 2-1 in the home leg of the EFL Semi-final. But away, their fans must be tearing their hair out.

This 3-1 defeat by Stoke sums up the fight for survival, Stoke themselves had been on a four game losing streak and defeat at Hull would have seen them losing five top-flight league games for the first time since 1985. However, goals from Arnautovic, Crouch and Shaqiri secured the points for Stoke, despite a Maquire goal in the 51st minute.

Allardyce Escape Act

Former England manager, Sam Allardyce continued his run of results that should see Crystal Palace safe for another year. Sam’s team came from 2 goals down to draw 2-2 with champions Leicester City.

Substitute Fabio Borini scored a 90th-minute equaliser as Sunderland drew with West Ham 2-2. Sunderland are still looking doomed but will be pleased with a point over improving West Ham. They remain nine points from safety, albeit with a game in hand on 17th-placed Hull, they play Hull soon so that will be a relegation 6 pointer.

Manchester City brushed aside Southampton 3-0, Vincent Kompany was in inspired form, scoring one but it was his leadership, organisation and composure over the ninety minutes that caught the eye. You can’t help but wonder how close City would have been to Chelsea if Kompany hadn’t suffered with injuries.

Brazilian Brilliance Super Sunday

Roberto Firmino scored a winner for the second weekend running as Liverpool won ugly against West Brom. West Bromwich remain on course to finish eighth, and equal their highest final league placing since 1981 but they have their early season form to thank for that as their season seems to be running out of steam. They were lucky to only lose by only one goal.

The game of the weekend was undoubtedly Manchester United v Chelsea! Mourinho hadn’t managed a win against his former club so the feeling was of hope rather than expectation at Old Trafford.

However, Mourinho pulled off a tactical masterstroke and United played with two up front and with wing-backs who were high up the pitch. This enabled an attacking United to pressurise Chelsea right from the start.

Ander Herrera’s man marking of Eden Hazard was exceptional and nullified Chelsea’s main focal point of attack. Goals from Rashford in the seventh minute and Herrera in the 49th was enough to see United win 2-0. A result which gives Tottenham hope in the title race.

Arsenal kept alive their hopes of finishing in the top four of the Premier League alive with a narrow 2-1 win against Middlesbrough. This win, only Arsenal’s third in their past nine league games means Arsenal move up to sixth.

European Action – Leicester’s dream is over!

Leicester’s ambition to shock us all both domestically and in Europe ended with a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid.

The Foxes dominated for much of the game at the King Power Stadium, creating numerous chances in the early exchanges but a 26th minute goal from Saul Niguez meant that Leicester had to score 3.

Jamie Vardy did manage to score one in the 61st minute but the Spanish team used all their experience to keep Leicester at bay.

Leicester can hold their heads high, they have performed well above expectation in this year’s competition, just a shame that this fairy-tale didn’t have another chapter.

In the other games in the Champions League Real Madrid needed some controversial decisions to beat Bayern Munich 4-2 on the night and 6-3 on aggregate. This win sees Real continue their aim of becoming the first club to retain the Champions League.

Barcelona were knocked out by Juventus after a 0-0 draw. Barca were 3 goals down from the first leg and uncharacteristically never looked like overturning this deficit. In fact, over the course of the second leg, Barcelona only managed one shot on target.

Europa Action.

Manchester United became the sole surviving English club in European competitions when they beat Anderlecht 2-1 after extra time. If United were thinking their route to the Europa League final was guaranteed, then this game would have given food for thought.

As has been typical this season, United could have wrapped this game up in the first half but a combination of poor final play and a resolute Anderlecht performance meant nerves were rattled at Old Trafford right up to the final whistle.

Marcus Rashford was the man of the match and it was his goal in the 107th minute that saw United through. Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit a low finish in the 10th minute but Anderlecht restored parity when Sofiane Hanni hit home an equaliser after 32 minutes. A tense match ensued but local lad Rashford calmed the nerves to see United into the semi-final.

The big talking point of the match was the injury to Zlatan, his Old Trafford career could now be over when the extent of the injury was known. This will be a blow to Manchester United who have relied strongly on the Swedish strikers goals this season.

In the other ties;

Ajax beat Schalke 3-4 on aggregate after losing 3-2 on the night. United’s next opponents Celta Vigo won 3-4 on aggregate after drawing 1-1 against Genk. Lyon beat Besiktas on penalties after drawing 3-3 on aggregate.

Making Rugby News Headlines in the Past Week

Aviva Premiership

Bristol Rugby were relegated after a loss to Leaders Wasps 21 -36 while Worcester Warriors beat Bath 25 – 19 to secure their safety in the top flight with two games to spare.

Leicester Tigers ran out 30 – 3 winners against the Newcastle falcons, which leaves them in the driving seat to secure the last playoff place, after Bath’s loss to Worcester.

Northampton Saints 25 Saracens 27 – The battle of the English hookers where Dylan Hartley came out on top against Jamie George but ended up on the losing side.

Gloucester 39 – 30 Sale Sharks, victory over Sale has put Gloucester in contention for 7th place and a play-off for the final European Champions Cup spot.

Harlequins 26 – 39 Exeter Chiefs, Exeter remain in Second with this Win and will hope to remain there to secure a home playoff advantage.

The British Lions

The British Lions Touring party has now been named with 41 players, 4 more that tour Australia four years ago. The breakdown by country is 16 Englishmen, 12 Welshmen, 11 Irishmen and just two Scots

Sam Warburton was named Captain becoming only the second man after Martin Johnson to Captain two tours

Warren Gatland sprung a few surprises by naming Jonathan Joseph, Jared Payne, Ross Moriarty, Tommy Seymour, while Joe Launchbury, Dylan Hartley, Jonny and Richie Gray and Jamie Roberts were not included.

Power seems to won the day with big and powerful players being announced in the squad, and the selections will not please all four corners of the Lions badge , but would it ever?.

England Tour of Argentina – Two-Test series

A 31-man touring party has been named for England’s tour of Argentina in June and includes 15 uncapped players. Those uncapped players include Denny Solomona and Sam Underhill, of which big things are expected, however there was no place for Danny Cipriani in the touring party

Dylan Hartley has been named captain after the disappointment of not being selected for the British Lions and will be joined on tour by other Senior England players that did not receive a Lions call up – Chris Robshaw, James Haskell and Mike Brown.

The first test will be on the 10 June at the Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López Stadium in Santa Fe followed a week later by the second test on the 17th June at Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario stadium at San Juan.

Other Football News:

Chelsea: Chelsea are losing patience with Diego Costa and could sell the Spain striker in the summer as he wants a significant increase on his £150,000-a-week salary. However other reports state that Costa remains a £620,000-a-week net target for Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian, who tried to sign the 28-year-old in January.

Everton: Everton are ready to match Burnley’s £25m asking price for 24-year-old England centre-back Michael Keane although they may face competition from Keane’s old club Manchester United with Manchester City and Tottenham also rumoured to be interested.

West Bromwich: West Brom fans do not think the club should sign 36-year-old former England defender John Terry when he leaves Chelsea