Duncan dismisses underdog tag seeking fifth UFC win
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The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Monday's briefing: Tottenham worry over Maddison injury and Chelsea sign Hato
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison sustained a 'bad' injury before manager Thomas Frank bolstered his squad with the arrival of Joao Palhinha. Chelsea signed Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato, while Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is unsure what the future holds for wantaway striker Alexander Isak. Elsewhere, Scottish Premiership champions Celtic scraped past St Mirren. Maddison suffers fresh injury setback James Maddison sustained a serious-looking knee injury as Tottenham's pre-season tour of Asia concluded with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle in Seoul. The England international, who missed the closing stages of last season with a knee problem, was carried off on a stretcher after going down unchallenged late in the game. Manager Thomas Frank said the issue appeared to be a 'bad injury' before Spurs later announced the signing of Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich. Sunday's friendly was otherwise notable for the emotional reception departing South Korea forward Son Heung-min received from fans in his home city. Teenage Dutch defender moves to Stamford Bridge Chelsea completed the signing of Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a deal worth a reported £37million. The 19-year-old, who has been capped six times by his country, signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge. He became the Blues' eighth signing of the summer transfer window. Hato, who can operate in central defence or at left-back, said: 'I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that.' Howe leaves door open for Isak Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is hoping to see striker Alexander Isak back in training in the coming days. Isak, who has been the subject of interest from Liverpool, missed the Magpies' pre-season tour of Asia amid speculation over his future. Newcastle are returning home after their trip concluded against Spurs on and Howe hopes the Sweden international will report back as normal. Howe told The Chronicle after the game: 'Of course I'd like him to but whether or not he will, I don't know at this moment in time. Other people have been dealing with that situation back at home.' Late deflected strike secures narrow win for Celtic William Hill Premiership champions Celtic left it late before beginning their title defence with a 1-0 victory over St Mirren at Parkhead. Luke McCowan's deflected strike three minutes from time finally broke the visitors' resistance. The substitute collected Daizen Maeda's square pass on the edge of a crowded penalty box and fired a shot which appeared to spin off Mark O'Hara's leg and nestle into the bottom corner of the net. Celtic had earlier hit the frame of the goal through Benjamin Nygren, Reo Hatate and Adam Idah, while Callum McGregor had a goal disallowed following VAR intervention. What's on today? Hearts host Aberdeen at Tynecastle in the final match of the opening round of fixtures of the new Scottish Premiership season.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'We'll be ready for Europe,' insists Brendan Rodgers after Celtic need late winner to see off St Mirren
Brendan Rodgers promised that Celtic will be ready to qualify for the Champions League despite labouring to an opening day win over St Mirren. The Parkhead men required Luke McCowan's deflected strike with three minutes left to avoid slipping up as they began the defence of their crown. Rodgers finds out tomorrow which side Celtic will face in the Champions League play-off, with Sturm Graz, Basel, Dynamo Kyiv, Slovan Bratislava, Kairat Almaty, Qarabag and Shkendija all possible opponents. Last Friday, on the back of a quiet summer to date, he challenged the club's board to match his ambition. But he remains confident the team will be to his liking come the first leg of the £40million shootout at the end of the month. 'We'll be ready for the games,' he said. 'The players are working very hard. They are always tense games but we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes. 'I'm feeling really good. The players are shaping up very well. There's real spirit and solidarity in the team. Whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them. And we'll accept whatever challenge comes.' Rodgers took a straight bat to questions over whether his team's solitary goal against St Mirren underlined the need to add more quality in forward areas. 'We got into a lot of good areas,' he said. 'We'll always take the game to the final third of the pitch, but we created a lot today. 'You have to give credit to the goalkeeper (St Mirren's Shamal George). He made some great saves. We were creative, dominated the game. 'To win the first game is always good and I'm absolutely pleased with the performance. 'St Mirren are such a hard team to break down. You have to be aware of the threat on the counter-attack, the physicality at set-pieces.' Asked if his side could have had three or four goals on another day, the Celtic manager said: 'I think everyone who was at the game or watched it on TV would say that. Sometimes you need a wee bit of good fortune as well. We didn't quite have that, but some of them hit the post and the bar.' Kieran Tierney's competitive return was cut short amid fears he had suffered another injury, but Rodgers revealed the defender was only suffering from cramp. 'He got a great reception and you see the qualities he has,' he said. 'He had a wee bit of cramp at the end. 'He hasn't played a lot of football. We need to build him and his fitness.' Manchester City defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was at the game, with a one-year loan deal now all but agreed. 'We're still waiting for clearance on that one,' said Rodgers. 'But he's up here ready for the move.' Saints boss Stephen Robinson felt his side gave an extremely good account of themselves. 'It was disappointing because we lost to a deflection,' he said. 'Our level of performance showed when Celtic were trying to waste time in the last five minutes of the game. Defensively, we were superb.'
BreakingNews.ie
6 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Brendan Rodgers primed for Celtic's Champions League challenge after opening win
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers stressed they would be ready for the Champions League qualifiers after leaving it late to secure victory in their opening game of the domestic season. The champions needed a deflected strike from substitute Luke McCowan to edge past St Mirren with a 1-0 win as they started their William Hill Premiership title defence at Parkhead. Advertisement Celtic earlier hit the frame of the goal through Benjamin Nygren, Reo Hatate and Adam Idah, and had a Callum McGregor strike disallowed for handball following a VAR intervention. But a strikeforce led by Idah inside Daizen Maeda and Yang Hyun-jun – with James Forrest and Johnny Kenny coming off the bench – looked in need of the reinforcements which Rodgers has been calling for. The Celtic manager was eager to praise his side's display and not labour that point, but fans will be keen to see new signings come in soon after Monday's Champions League play-off draw. The likes of Sturm Graz and Basel await Celtic as they discover their fate for the high-risk, high-reward games, which will take place in the final two weeks of this month. Advertisement Rodgers said: 'We'll be ready for the games. Whenever they come, we'll be ready. The players are working very hard. 'They are always tense games. But we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes. 'We've had a really, really good pre-season. The players are shaping up very well and are working very hard. There's real spirit and solidarity here in the team. So we look forward to that. 'We know whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them.' Advertisement When asked whether their long wait for a goal against St Mirren underlined the need for more attacking options, Rodgers said: 'We created a lot. We got into a lot of really good areas and you have to give credit to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper made some great saves. 'I think we were creative in the game, dominated the game. 'At times we moved the ball really well. At other times we could have attacked a wee bit more when we got into certain positions and been a bit more aggressive in the one-v-one moments. 'But overall, to play against that team, against that system, that's how you've got to work it and then you need a bit of quality to finish it. Advertisement 'Sometimes you need a wee bit of good fortune as well. We didn't quite have that, some of them hit the post and the bar.' St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson saw plenty to encourage him. 'It was disappointing because we lost to a deflection,' he said. 'Defensively, I thought we were superb, very, very well organised. People use that as a slight against St Mirren sometimes, but that is one of the basics of management, get your team organised. 'We said we would have five or six opportunities to break and we did. Some we picked the right option, some we didn't. 'We didn't sit back the whole game, we pressed. I think we caused Celtic problems at times. 'But they have a heck of a lot of quality. If you look at the substitutes they are bringing on in comparison to ours, then it makes it a tough task.'
