Author: Chief Editor

Serena Williams would not discuss the incidents that unfolded during the US Open final she lost to Naomi Osaka in September and is choosing to “move on to bigger and better things”, the American told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. In her first on-court appearance since that controversial final in New York, Williams lost an exhibition match to her sister Venus 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 in the UAE capital and will now head straight to Perth to compete in the Hopman Cup alongside her countryman Frances Tiafoe. Asked if the US Open final is a topic she’d like to avoid…

Patients being monitored as possible Ebola patients fled a camp in eastern DR Congo on Thursday after it was attacked by demonstrators protesting further delays to the country’s election, the health ministry said. Around 20 patients fled the centre during the incident, at a holding centre in the Beni region, the epicentre of this latest outbreak of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease. The incident followed the announcement that elections planned for Sunday in the region had once again been postponed because of local unrest, as well as the Ebola outbreak. At least three tents were ransacked on the…

Halfway towards ending a 29-year wait to win the Premier League, the next seven days will test Liverpool’s title credentials to the fullest, starting with Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on Saturday. For a long time a new year visit to Manchester City on January 3 had the makings of a title decider, but Liverpool now have margin for error with a six-point lead at the top of the table. Tottenham are Liverpool’s closest challengers with City slipping down to third and seven points adrift after three defeats in their last four league games. That is more than the six points…

Jurgen Klopp is yet to think about his future at Liverpool beyond the expiry of his current deal in 2022. The German signed a fresh six-year contract in July 2016, having only been appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor nine months previously. Klopp is yet to lift any silverware at Anfield, having lost the finals of the Europa League, EFL Cup and Champions League during his spell. Liverpool sit four points clear of defending champions Manchester City atop the Premier League at Christmas, raising hopes that the wait for a trophy could be ended in May, but Klopp says his relative success thus far…

Pope Francis on Monday assailed the “insatiable greed” of today’s consumerism, calling on people in his Christmas homily to make “sharing and giving” more a part of their lives. “Mankind became greedy and voracious,” the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics said in an address to thousands of followers in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. “In our day, for many people, life’s meaning is found in possessing, in having an excess of material objects,” he said. “An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily…

Manchester United return to Old Trafford for the first time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s management against Huddersfield on Boxing Day with a new-found swagger after scoring five goals in the Premier League for the first time in five years. The Norwegian’s caretaker spell in charge until the end of the season got off to a dream start as United threw off the shackles, that led to turgid football and deteriorating results under Jose Mourinho, to thrash Cardiff 5-1. United still face a huge challenge to make up an eight-point gap just to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a…

We have reached the mid-section of the current campaign and all European elite leagues, namely the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, the German Bundesligaand the French Ligue 1 have all played between 17 to 19 matches already. Following the festive season comes the winter transfer window and many European elite clubs have started assessing their respective squads as they prepare to reinforce in January – including Spanish champions, FC Barcelona. The Blaugrana have made the headlines during the past few weeks, with reports linking them with a host of players including Ajax duo Matijths De Ligt and Frankie De Jong, Paris Saint Germain’s…

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes Zinedine Zidane is the best choice to replace Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford. United are on the hunt for a permanent replacement for manager Mourinho, who was sacked by the Premier League giants on Tuesday. Club favourite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stepped in on a caretaker basis until the end of the season, with United reportedly keen to lure Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to Manchester in 2019-20. Zidane – who led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles before leaving the LaLiga side ahead of the 2018-19 season – has also been…

Super Eagles striker, Odion Jude Ighalo has expressed optimism that Nigeria can make a meaningful impact at next year Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to hold in June. Ighalo’s six goals helped the Eagles qualified for the AFCON from Group E with a match in hand against Seychelles. The game, which is slated to hold on March 22nd next year, will serve as part of the preparation for the team for the finals in 2019. However, the continent’s football governing body, the CAF is set to name a new host nation on January 9, 2019 after stripping the hosting…

• NFF assures nation of team’s preparation There are indications that the nation may not achieve its dreams of making it to next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) fails to address the discrepancy in the coaches’ salaries before the 2019 African U-17 Championship billed to hold in Tanzania. Sources close to some of the coaches told The Guardian at the weekend that the assistant trainers are displeased with the meagre monthly allowances paid to them by the NFF because “it is far below what others get.” Specifically, the assistant coaches are not happy…