Rory McIlroy moves past Nick Faldo into third on world number one list

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Rory McIlroy has overtaken Nick Faldo because the golfer who has spent the most weeks as world number one.
McIlroy has spent a total of 98 months at top over eight charms, one week more than winner Faldo.
The Northern Irishman, 30, is third on the list behind Australia’s Greg Norman and the Tiger Woods of also the USA.
While significant winner Woods spent a gigantic months at the very top, norman was world number one for months.
After finishing fifth at the weekend WGC-Mexico Championship, McIlroy is certain to be world number one for one a week, ahead of Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Brooks Koepka from the positions.
Before this month, four-time major winner returned into the summit of the ranks after five years.
Once he spent 54 weeks as the world’s top golfer mcIlroy stretch as number one came in August 2014.

The Debate on Sky Sports: Alan Smith, Andy Hinchcliffe and more

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The Debate is back on Sky Sports this week since more guests handle the major points in soccer.
Carlton Cole alan Smith, Andy Hinchcliffe, Harry Kewell, Mark Warburton and Liam Rosenior will be the guests that this midweek to discuss a busy European program, together with seven British clubs in action over three days at Europa League and the Champions League.
Tuesday: Geoff Shreeves using Alan Smith and Carlton Cole
Wednesday: Geoff Shreeves with Andy Hinchcliffe and Harry Kewell
Thursday: David Prutton using Mark Warburton and Liam Rosenior
Missed a Debate? Listen back here, as well as discovering all our podcasts – like the Gary Neville Podcast, Transfer Chat, Goals on Sunday and Sunday Supplement…
Sky Sports subscribers can flow matches through the Sky Move program or the Sky Sports app.

Roma or Man Utd? Chris Smalling has ‘interesting decision to make’

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Chris Smalling admits he has”an interesting choice to produce” – staying with Manchester United or going to Roma eternally.
Even the 30-year-old central-back has settled into life playing 90 minutes at 20 of all the past 21 league games of Roma also is now impressing to a loan with the Serie A club.
Smalling is contracted to United until the team and 2022 have an choice to extend that for a further season, but he has said he’d look at creating a permanent move to Roma.
Roma boss Paulo Fonseca has told Sky Sports News he wants to sign him in a new exclusive interview, Smalling stated:”When I came it was thrilling but also daunting since you are uncertain what to expect.
“New country, new adventure. But considering the way I’ve settled in, the love I have felt it will be an interesting decision.
“Some of the other players said if you hit the ground running, the love that you’re able to have in this town is unbelievable. That is what I’ve felt and so have my loved ones. Long may it last.”
Smalling is scheduled to return at the end of the season to parent club United Because it stands but admits the club’s decision to not include a call-back clause in his loan arrangement not surprised him.
“Not really,” he said. “When I talked to them, it was a case of’Let us have a good season, hopefully everything goes to plan, the team is powerful and I am powerful’ and at the close of the season we’ll sit down.
“This was the strategy at the start of the season and clearly we’re not completed yet so come to the end of the season we’ll see what the plan is.
“I talked to him [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer]… Over the previous decades, I had been accustomed to playing nearly every match when fit.
“So to cut that in half, if you look around at other opportunities, there wasn’t anything greater than that [Roma] that could have develop.
“We talked publicly and we all made it happen.”
When asked about Roma manager Fonseca’s comments, Smalling included:”It’s good to hear. Having that trust and belief from the manager, from the trainer, by the other players also – it’s helping me flourish on the pitch.”
Roma are now fifth in the following 25 games.

Ref watch: Should Giovani Lo Celso have seen red? Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Bournemouth handball & more

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Was Giovani Lo Celso not sent off? Should David Coote have already now been taken from the spotlight? Can Kevin De Bruyne handle the ball? Dermot Gallagher has all of the answers…
Dermot joined Sue Smith, Rob Wotton and Stephen Warnock on Sky Sports News for his evaluation of those conclusions.
INCIDENT: Azpilicueta slides into win the ball forward of Lo Celso, who subsequently seems to stamp on the shield’s leg. Referee Michael Oliver does not observe the incident, however, VAR official David Coote decides it isn’t serious play. The PGMOL apologise for the’human error’ in failing to discount Lo Celso.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”It ought to have been a red card. I really don’t think there’s no doubt about it, I believe everyone expected a red card looking back, everyone has said it should’ve been.
“What happened is, I think that the VAR, who arrived at his decision looked in it and wanted to make sure, and has changed his mind a few times.
“Once I refereed I did it on gut reaction, and 95 per cent of this time visiting something like this, my gut response would have been to take this action.
“If he would have gone on the first replay, in which you view it when his foot comes down, I think it would’ve saved a lot of hassle and he would have said .
“Following the match, the game delegate comes in and they look at items. Michael is a professional he’d have been upset he had not viewed it. He’ll be studying that thinking how did we not get that right daily?
“What’ll happen is they will go forward, sit come to a conclusion of’if this happens, we must try it,’ since it can not simply be thrown off; they will have to go forward and make certain it never happens again.”
INCIDENT: A free-kick from James Maddison hits Kevin De Bruyne around the arm, that is elevated up to guard his face. Paul Tierney sees the episode and isn’t referred to this VAR, who had been Coote – the official on inspection responsibilities during the Chelsea game earlier in the day.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”He puts his hand up to guard his face and then turns away. I believe that’s what the VAR judges, so that it is not a very clear and obvious error. I think if you offer a penalty, nobody could argue, however VAR felt from the moment he turned away the ball was close to him, it struck himthat was the result.”
INCIDENT: Kalechi Iheanacho along with Ederson compete to the Manchester City box for a cross. Ederson understands a nick about the ball until the Leicester but catches him along with his follow-through, leaving him requiring remedy.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”I just believe this is inevitable there is likely to be a clash. They got their eyes on the ball, when you see the ball come . It hits Iheanacho around the shoulders , and as they jump for it it’s inevitable that they will collide.”
INCIDENT: Josh King scores a opener for both Bournemouth. A VAR inspection overrules the aim, due to a handball in the accumulation.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”I’ve missed all the days I have observed this but I had been told the angle in the GDS shows it strikes the badge on the sleeve of the shirt, which is an element of the arm and that is why it’s disallowed.
“Based on this VAR it’s the correct choice, since they say they’re quite clear it has hit the badge.”
INCIDENT: Callum Wilson scores an equaliser on the rest to get Bournemouth Using Burnley leading 1-0. Before drama restarts, VAR rules against Bournemouth defender Adam Smith to get a handball in his box moments earlier, disallows the target and awards Burnley a punishment.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”I thought that was a handball. The distinction here is, he extends his arm out. When the VAR looked in it, they believed it was handball.
“I predicted this year someone would give away a penalty and proceed up the other end and score, it is taken 27 match round but that is what’s happened.
“With no doubt, in my own mind, it’s a handball. He’s got to go back and give the punishment and disallow the goal. It seems quite unfair to Bournemouth, however, the original offence was that the handball.”
INCIDENT: John Lundstram and Lewis Dunk opt to get a ball in midfield, which Brighton defender Dunk gets to , slipping in to clear it off. Lundstram stands with his follow-through on Dunk’s knee. Referee Graham Scott refers the incident to VAR to get a card that is possible and it is dominated there is not any foul play.
DERMOT’S VERDICT:”I’m convinced this is not a red card for two reasons. So both players have the right to struggle for the ball, Primarily, I believe the signature of Dunk is too thick, it runs away.
“They are both stretching, and that I also think Lundstramhe puts his foot at the turf, he might just squeeze him using the side of his boot but he doesn’t actually stand on him, therefore I’d say yellow as opposed to red.”

Granit Xhaka on taking Arsenal captaincy: I’d have to think twice

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Granit Xhaka admits he’d have to”think twice” if he had been given the opportunity to become Arsenal captain once again.
Xhaka says he worried his time was up at Arsenal when he had been stripped of the armband by former head coach Unai Emery at November after swearing in an Emirates crowd that booed off him against Crystal Palace.
His agent proposed in December he had been close to leaving for German side Hertha Berlin, but new head coach Mikel Arteta has brought the midfielder back in the side and Xhaka is again”pleased” in northern London.
“If a day that the club asks me about the armband, I must believe twice,” Xhaka told Standard Sport. “There was a minute, because it was not simple for me and my loved ones. I hope this is understood by people.
“However, I think I showed my personality. I’m not a guy who runs off. I always say to this club,’If I [am] here, I am ready to give everything’. It was like this.
“I train really hard and that things turned around is the secret. This [has given me] the most joy.”
Xhaka has worn out the armband, reluctantly taking on the mantle in the last phases of the month’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
“I know without or with the armband that which I can give the group,” he said. “But in this minute [against Palace] I do not wish to spend the armband straight back, however, Sokratis (Papastathopoulos) and David (Luiz) told me that I must take it.”

Coronavirus: South Korea league season postponed

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Football authorities have postponed the beginning of the 2020 domestic season because of this epidemic.
The announcement was made by Even the K League following a crisis meeting in Seoul since the nation grapples with all the outbreak that began in China and has infected more than 79,000 people.
The amount of instances in South Korea reached 833 including seven deaths, on Monday.
Even though the majority of diseases in South Korea are listed in the city of Daegu, there are worries the virus could spread.
On Friday, the K League postponed the opening matches of this season for Daegu FC and Pohang Steelers, scheduled to be held that Saturday, however now all games will be frozen until further notice.
“We have ready for the season well but the virus isn’t something to be taken lightly,” Gangwon FC coach Kim Byung-soo stated.
“We’re concerned about it spreading around the nation and that is much more important than planning for the period and the right choice was taken. Players and coaching staff all have to be mindful.”
The organization also determined that the Asian Champions League games set to be hosted by clubs March will proceed, but in stadiums.
This continental tournament’s group stage has already been disrupted by the viral outbreak, with matches involving three of their four Chinese clubs involved with the championship postponed until early May and late April.
The Super League has been scheduled to kick off weekend but has been postponed. The Chinese Soccer Association announced last week that two 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled to happen in March, against also the Maldives and Guam, will probably likely be played in Thailand.
Four matches in Serie A were called off in the weekend due to fears over the spread of this illness

Premier League stats: Man City penalty woes & Aubameyang’s goal return

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Manchester City scale closer from 12 metres as Kasper Schmeichel refused Sergio Aguero to maintain family bragging rights to equalling an unfortunate record.
Additionally, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang delivered his Sunday Dwight McNeil proceeds to show plenty of promise and Diogo Jota puts the constant inconsistent.
Sport have a look at the weekend key Premier League figures.
Arsenal ran out 3-2 winners from Everton in a game that could demonstrate a result from the race for a European place.
Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was crucial for the Gunners, scoring to make it six goals in his last seven league games as linking from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018 and also take his own Premier League tally to 49 goals in 74 appearances.
That gives him the return throughout that period of time, combined with Liverpool ahead Mohamed Salah, along with an overall record of 60 targets in 95 Arsenal games.
The Gabon has team-mate Sadio Mane year and 17 league goals this season, just five fewer than the 22 that saw him discuss the boot up with Salah.
Aubameyang proceeds to make a mockery of his anticipated goals (xG) complete as emphasized over – scoring six more than his chances would indicate he ought to – and he’ll be expecting Arsenal’s Europa League engagement usually means that the Gunners to play their league games on Sundays.
After his most recent haul, Aubameyang has been directly engaged in 38 goals in 38 English top-flight looks on Sundays, scoring 32 times himself.
That’s compared to 17 goals in 36 games which have dropped throughout the week’s rest.
The huge majority of his complete Premier League aims have come from with four of his 49 being hauled in from distance inside the box.
A very clear warning to West Ham who must keep him at 18 metres at to increase their hopes of preventing his half-century being brought up by Aubameyang next point out. At least the game is present on a Saturday…
Leicester City decreasing to defeat on Saturday, their rivals Manchester City, for second place regardless of his best efforts could not be prevented by kasper Schmeichel.
eclipsing his dad Peter Schmeichel’s tally for Premier League punishment conserves but he did earn family bragging rights.
Kasper’s save from Aguero was his fourth biggest – one more than his dad.
That makes the Foxes keeper attached fourth to Premier League penalty saves since Leicester’s promotion in 2014, with just Simon Mignolet (six), Lukasz Fabianski (six) and Adrian (five) making more at that moment.
He’s some way behind the amount of penalty saves in the competition, which remains safe from the control of Manchester City and Portsmouth stopper David James, that made an astonishing 13.
Mean his save percentage will lag behind other people. A special mention for Hull City goalkeeper Allan McGregor because of his perfect album from two penalties confronted, for saving and Mignolet.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Manchester City are in the middle of a full-blown 12-yard (10.97 metre) crisis.
Pep Guardiola’s side are now closing in on the record run of penalty disputes of Arsenal and have failed to score their four top-flight spot-kicks.
The Gunners missed the initial five penalties that they ever took at the Premier League, leaving City desperately looking for a hero after Aguero joined Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.
It begs the question, when will goalkeeper Ederson get his shot? “Trust me, he is the very ideal taker we have in fines,” Guardiola stated on Ederson’s chances in January.
I believe that’s something we’d all like to see. Alternatively, Guardiola’s side may want to start taking notes out of the Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United.
Having skip, a hop and an ice-cool finish, January signing Fernandes made it 13 successful penalties in a row, extending a streak that extends back to his times that were Udinese at April 2016.
Fernandes left Sporting Lisbon with a listing that was perfect 12/12 and, with his opener on Sundayhe became the first United player to start his Premier League account.
There has been much to admire for several seasons about director Sean Dyche’s efforts . Youngster Dwight McNeil is the latest of them.
The 20-year-old was in good form this effort for a Clarets side which, having a win over Bournemouth, has listed the highest-ever points tally of the club following 27 Premier League fixtures.
Burnley are currently unbeaten in their past five matches and sit just four points adrift of place – which now provides a Champions League spot following Manchester City ban.
And, one of the Clarets’ three-goal series on Saturday, McNeil was able to score and assist in a Premier League game for the very first time in his career.
Nevertheless, it is perhaps the newest aid that best highlights his talent – as well as potential promise.
At 20 decades and 92 days, McNeil became the youngest player to achieve 10 Premier League assists since the Raheem Sterling of Manchester City failed aged 19 years and 335 times for Liverpool at November 2014.
McNeil comes in since the 11th youngest participant to achieve the effort, fewer than three weeks supporting Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs (20 decades and eight times ), that holds the record for many Premier League assists – and slightly under 2 years older than record-holder Michael Owen.
Keen to grab, at 18 decades and 171 days, the Bukayo Saka of Arsenal became the youngest player to record successive Premier League assists since the Francis Jeffers of Everton .
You know the expression about London buses?
Wolves forward Diogo Jota was so close to after his Europa league hat-trick against Espanyol on Thursday.
He was inches as his shot rebounded off the pole allowing Raul Jimenez to seal the points and received a further two objects from the Canaries.
Linked from Manchester United with a # 50m bidding on Sunday Jota has eight goals in his last seven home matches in all competitions.
He’s scored 10 goals in his last 12 appearances for Wolves – .
Jota has scored in only four of the 12 games, including two doubles and two hat-tricks in a style that was true.
Truly, he had gone eight matches without a goal before the treble of Thursday – since scoring five times in two matches in December from Besiktas and Brighton.
Sunday implies he has scored with a total of five goals.
Buses and Jota, meet.

The NFL Scouting Combine: Psychological inspection entwined with viral content

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“If you wanted to kill a man, would you kill him with a gun or a knife?” That is exactly what was put to Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills in the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine. Forget conjuring illustrations of’functioning as part of a group’ or detailing flaws and strengths.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Kris Boyd was asked when he had his testicles both, and New Orleans Saints cornerback Eli Apple was quizzed on his heritage agreeing a public apology by the Atlanta Falcons coach responsible.
For the 33rd year, this week Indianapolis will sponsor school football prospects, using 337 invited in total, because they are thrusted to auditions involving tests and clinical examinations of temperament and athleticism.
On the schedule? A combination of boundary-testing along with eye-widening queries (see above), followed by instills of speed and strength splashed more with entertainment value than the potential for specifying and information-rich outcomes.
Under these young student-athletes’ chiselled and over-powering exteriors is a often-forgotten naivety that, if accounted for, kindly to what is one of the most extreme and bizarre job interviews that you can walk right into.
Exhibits of bodily traits may well nudge a prospect’s draft inventory up and make them a pay day, but there is not much to show to the concept of players’and the remainder dividing themselves’. Not unless media followers and hits are to be taken into account.
The NFL’s decision to televise on-field workouts in primetime slots and late afternoon and the fan opportunity combine to see the assortment of 53 Super Bowl rings at winking in the parade vibes.
The wrestling mix justifies disagreement for a shop-window into the players with many having caught the not-so-wandering eye of the NFL landing spot who teams may or may not pick.
There is a notion of futility to the drills that serve as the traffic-driving content of week. Agents and NFL team scouts arrive in Indy having long-moulded their experience thanks and comprehension of college stars and their opinions to the hours and hours of game film readily available to them.
Much use is visiting players in action minus the pads, both the contact and the circumstances that are varying?
The dash remains the centrepiece, magnifying the speed of their skill position players in contrast to expectedly slow offensive linemen, each of which make for effective viral clips onto social networking of the combine.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver John Ross sprinted his way into a top 10 selection in the 2017 NFL Draft with a combine-record 4.22, but it would have been his calf strains during his campaign that stood out to plenty of teams. He has played across three seasons in 24 games, enrolling 49 grabs.
Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. conducted a 5.85 and has been deemed to have endured among the worst combines in current memory, which evidently hurt his draft value because he slipped to the third round. Yet, he finds himself coming from the rear of a Pro Bowl year.
There is no denying, the dashboard makes for interesting viewing, but this isn’t to say it’s entirely valuable.
Players are asked to cover the 40 twice, with gaps between the attempts. What it doesn’t account for is the capacity to match that explosiveness on plays while it must be questioned how frequently receivers run routes.
Not that it matters, however, because teams have seen they all needed to see during the season.
Then there’s the bench press, made to show endurance and a participant’s strength.
While useful in devoting an athlete’s devotion it struggles to establish if an offensive lineman can employ said strength to blocking, whether a pass-rusher can easily manoeuvre his man or if a receiver could combat press policy. Tape would be the storyteller that is greater.
Agility and shift in direction is quantified by the drill, tempting praise for possessing a’low center of gravity’ despite the omission of man-to-man contest. Low-body burst is analyzed by the wide and perpendicular jumps.
This season will see the introduction of such as a practice to get linemen, drills that are more applicable and sled compels. That, however, is not likely to halt the tendency of groups sending along fewer agents to the mix.
It is what goes on behind the scenes which carries the most weight namely the examinations developed to discover possible and niggling long-term injury issues, in the mix.
Since a probable top 10 pick, Tua Tagovailoa, heads to the combine on the back of hip operation, there is an added attention in that respect this year.
Whether it be the prodding and poking, the Cybex Machine evaluations that track motion, or the early morning drug tests, the medicals are elements to the week for scouts on which are business decisions, tasked.
There is also the odd’meat market’ segment that calls for players stripping to their underwear as hundreds of team officials take down notes on their physical appearance and prestige. That ought to be among the enjoyable elements, unless of course you seem like Seattle Seahawks wideout D.K. Metcalf.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is along with his ordinary physique in 2000 yelling anything but Super Bowl champion, a point of citizenship when it comes to its possible irrelevance.
The informal and formal interviews make up arguably the most significant region of the procedure, generating the sort of questions discussed at the beginning.
Players by now are usually well-prepared for its interrogations that are eyebrow-raising Although they seem unpredictable.
The interviews are designed to challenge a player’s emotion and also work out the way in-control they could be on the field the desire to ask. They’re also there to shed additional light on the capacity and intellect to fend for themselves on becoming a professional athlete overnight.
There are also the queries that allow gamers to dissect bad and good players and reevaluate both their particular movie.
Both interviews and the medicals are conducted at the start of the week and before the workouts, likely to observe how players hold up after a gruelling couple of days.
The combine is in need of a shake and is divisive, but it prevails as one of game’s most recruitment concepts.
Sky Sports NFL will help keep you updated with offseason storylines and the information, including Free Agency the Scouting Combine and the NFL Draft. Inform us @NFL and at _0_EXTENSION/NFL

WGC-Mexico Championship: American Patrick Reed seals one-shot win

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American Patrick Reed carded a four-under 67 to win against the WGC-Mexico Championship.
Even the world number 14, combined immediately, could manage to bogey the last as he completed 18 under, one ahead of compatriot Bryson DeChambeau.
World number four Justin Thomas, just one at the beginning of the last day, slipped into a 73 for a discussion of sixth.
The 67 of jon Rahm left him back after a 68, with world number one Rory McIlroy back in position.
Following nine birdies and a hole at one in a course record 61 on Saturday, Rahm birdied four of their first five holes to take a share of the head after which managed to salvage par when his second shot found the water.
Thomas, seeking his PGA title, saw his tee shot flick into the water in the par-three seventh off a tree and dropped another shot in the next to drop out of the lead after his drive ended 80 yards.
His chunk ended contrary to the bottom of a tree forcing him to play with left handed, and a double bogey resulted though he found a way through the trees back into the fairway.
DeChambeau, playing in the penultimate team with Rahm and McIlroy, made seven birdies in nine holes from the first time to move two clear.
McIlroy and the Rahm might only play the back nine in level par but the ever-tenacious Reed made two birdies to decrease the gap to a single and was tied to the lead when DeChambeau left himself 63 feet away.
Despite a minimal sun causing visibility problems Reed made an approach to birdie the 16th and accept the lead.
DeChambeau, that led after 2 rounds, missed a birdie opportunity at the last to finish with a 65 for 17 beneath, with Reed rattling in a consecutive birdie after a lengthy putt at the 17th.
There was time for drama when Reed, taking an iron off the tee at the last hole, pushed it into the trees but he still found the green in 3 and firmly two-putted for a five to bring a second WGC name to his 2018 Masters victory.
Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, in his first event since November after wrist surgery, recorded five birdies to share sixth.

Hakim Ziyech: Chelsea agree personal terms with Ajax winger

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Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech within a five-year-deal which will see the Morocco international move to Stamford Bridge for 40m euros (Number 33.3m) at the summertime.
Before this month, the nightclubs reached an agreement for 26-year-old Ziyech, who will stay in the leaders for the remainder of the season.
“I’m very happy to have signed to get such a enormous club as Chelsea,” said Ziyech.
“I’m excited about next year and hope we could achieve wonderful things.”
Ziyech has scored nine goals in all competitions for Ajax this season, leading to three objectives as the Dutch side drew at 4-4 against Chelsea in the Champions League at November.
He was a January transfer target for Chelsea as the Blues suffered a frustrating window and subsequently becomes boss Frank Lampard’s first registering for the move ban of the club.
Chelsea manager Marina Granovskaia added:”We are delighted Hakim will be joining us in the summer, having been a key goal of the club in this last window.
“He’s always been one of the most dangerous attacking players in Europe in the past several years, which we now watched first-hand in our two games against Ajax in the Champions League.”