The cold snap that has hit Britain continued to play havoc with the schedule for this weekend’s sports fixtures across the country, with several more postponements announced on Thursday as the country faces its disappointment over losing out on hosting the 2018 World Cup.
A day after all six Scottish Premier League matches scheduled for today were called off, only the second division fixture between Alloa and Peterhead remained on after officials pulled the plug on the rest of the soccer program in a snow-covered Scotland.
In England, 10 Football League fixtures have fallen victim to the weather although all matches in the elite Premier League this weekend were still set to go ahead as planned.
Photo: EPA
However, with numerous pitch inspections planned for today, English soccer could suffer further disruption.
Meanwhile both of yesterday’s fixtures in English rugby union’s top-flight Premiership have been postponed, with Sale’s match at home to Gloucester called off because of concerns over spectator safety a day after Newcastle’s match with Bath experienced a frozen pitch.
The Celtic League match -between Glasgow and Treviso has also been postponed, while several weekend horse race meetings in Britain and Ireland were called off because of snow.
Meanwhile, English soccer will hope a typically rousing weekend of Premier League action can take some of the sting out of the country’s failure to win the right to stage the 2018 World Cup.
Thursday’s FIFA ballot in Zurich and the subsequent revelation England had won just two votes, were a kick in the teeth for soccer’s birthplace.
However, the global appeal of the Premier League remains undimmed and this weekend is likely to witness another intriguing chapter in the title race, with just six points separating the top five ahead of the latest round of matches.
Table-toppers Manchester United will look to maintain, and perhaps even extend if other results go their way, their two-point advantage over champions Chelsea when they travel to Blackpool today.
“We’ve managed to claw ourselves into a position where we’re two points ahead of Chelsea,” said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who set great store by the Blackpool clash.
“You always want to win those games because I think they’re -really significant,” he added.
Blackpool have so far confounded expectations they were destined for an immediate return to the Championship and have already enjoyed a memorable win away to Liverpool this season.
Now the Tangerines face another one of their fellow northwest clubs in United and manager Ian Holloway is relishing the prospect of pitting his wits against Ferguson.
“Sir Alex is a living legend. What he has done in the game is just unreal and he is the top of the tree when it comes to British managers,” he said. “Welcoming Sir Alex will be great and probably the highlight of my managerial career so far because it’s a league game, not a one-off cup match, and we’re playing mighty Manchester United.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are set to have captain John Terry back from a nerve injury as they look to return to winning ways against Everton after collecting just one point from their last three league fixtures.
“We have dropped too many points recently,” England defender Terry said. “Looking back only two or three weeks ago, we were so many points clear and in the goal difference as well. Now both gaps have been closed.”
Today’s other matches see -Arsenal face Fulham just two days after Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer put an end to talk of a move to the Gunners by signing a new deal that will keep him at Craven Cottage.
Birmingham, fresh from their League Cup quarter-final derby win over Aston Villa, take on Tottenham, Blackburn face strugglers Wolves, Manchester City play Bolton and relegation-threatened Wigan go up against Stoke.
Basement club West Ham will look to build on their shock 4-0 League Cup win over holders Manchester United when they travel to Sunderland tomorrow, when West Brom take on Newcastle.
Liverpool, who booked their place in the last 32 of the Europa League following a 1-1 draw away to Steaua Bucharest on Thursday, welcome Aston Villa to Anfield on Monday.
Fixtures
Today:
‧ Arsenal v Fulham
‧ Birmingham v Tottenham
‧ Blackburn v Wolves
‧ Blackpool v Manchester United
‧ Chelsea v Everton
‧ Manchester City v Bolton
‧ Wigan v Stoke
Tomorrow:
‧ Sunderland v West Ham
‧ West Brom v Newcastle
Monday:
‧ Liverpool v Aston Villa
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or