SPORT

October 25, 2020 thesundaytimes.co.uk/sport

WAYNE
ROONEY
I ALWAYS THOUGHT
CALVERT-LEWIN
WOULD MAKE THAT
GREAT LEAP FORWARD
PAGES 8-9
OLI SCARFF

Lampard:
VAR and
referee got
it wrong
Paul Hirst
Frank Lampard could not
comprehend why his side were not
Stalemate at given a penalty as he accused Harry
Maguire of putting César Azpilicueta

Old Trafford in a “headlock” when they jumped

for the ball in the Manchester United
box in last night’s 0-0 draw at Old
after Chelsea Trafford. Maguire had his left arm
locked under Azpilicueta’s chin as

denied penalty they contested a cross in the 40th

minute.
Martin Atkinson, the referee, did

for Maguire grab not give a penalty and the VAR,

Stuart Attwell, did not intervene. If
Attwell had advised Atkinson to
on Azpilicueta check the side monitors, Lampard,
the Chelsea manager, is convinced he

Pain in the
would have given a penalty.
“I thought it was a clear penalty,”
Lampard said. “I didn’t see it at the
time from where I was standing, and I

neck
Harry Maguire know it’s a hard call for referees to
grapples with César make on the pitch, but that is why
Azpilicueta in the they brought VAR into the game.
air at Old Trafford “I thought they were very quick to
last night dismiss it. They should have taken
time. The referee should have gone to
the monitor and if he had, he has to
give a penalty. They should have
referred it to the referee and told him
to have another look. They might

00
have seen the headlock then.”
Azpilicueta was surprised the
referee did not check the incident. “I
felt his arms around my neck and
shoulders — the referee can make the
decision, and the VAR is there [to
help],” Azpilicueta said.
MANCHESTER CHELSEA He added: “It was 50-50 so why
UNITED not take 20 seconds to review it? I
think VAR can improve a lot.”

MATCH REPORT, PAGES 2-3

IRELAND GO BRITAIN’S RISING EXETER BEAT

TOP OF SIX NATIONS STAR GEOGHEGAN WASPS TO WIN
AFTER THRASHING HART POISED FOR PREMIERSHIP AND
ITALY 50-17 GIRO GLORY SEAL THE DOUBLE
PAGE 16 PAGE 20 PAGES 12-13
2 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times

Football Premier League

00
MATTHEW PETERS

MATCH
OF THE
DAY

MAN CHELSEA
UTD

Cavani went
close with his
first touch but
could not find a
way through

THE FRENCH RESISTANCE

T
his was about the French still has it and so may Cavani, who in a and closed one around his neck, pull-
JONATHAN connection, a grey game 32-minute cameo barely touched the LEEDS PLAYERS IN ing the Spaniard down. As Lampard
NORTHCROFT short on fantasy and
moments of genuine
ball — and yet still provided a thrilling
glimpse of the ability he retains. £25,000 RASHFORD observed, had Atkinson been encour-
aged to check his pitch-side monitor
jeopardy that, but for the
products and imports of
Thirty-three, and having not played
since March, when he made his final
BACKING by Stuart Attwell, the video assistant,
he would have surely given Chelsea
Football correspondent Ligue 1, would have had appearance for PSG, Cavani’s move- the spot kick.
almost no joie de vivre. ment was surprisingly sharp and he Marcus United’s claim, which came soon
Bravo, merci, Édouard almost scored with a stunning first Rashford’s after, was probably a penalty too,
Mendy, Paul Pogba, touch. Fernandes delivered a low campaign to though much more of a 50-50
Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani. All cross and, darting away from César give free school decision. After a neat interchange
contributed quality. Otherwise, Azpilicueta and Kai Havertz, Cavani meals to with Luke Shaw, Rashford went to
tediously, refereeing decisions would met it with the outside of his boot, children has shoot and Silva moved his foot into
4-2-1-3 have overshadowed all other talking flicking a shot that grazed the post. received a the way, making contact with Rash-
De Gea points from a big match again. Pogba, who came on with Cavani in boost from one ford’s instep. A kick? It seemed so,
First Mendy, the giant Senegal a double second-half substitution for of Manchester United’s greatest though on this occasion it was mar-
Lindelof Maguire goalkeeper signed from Rennes, who the ineffective Dan James and Juan rivals, Leeds United. The players ginal enough to forgive the officials.
Wan-Bissaka Shaw
manager Frank Lampard hopes will Mata, had given Manchester United of the promoted club have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer went with the
stop Chelsea conceding easy goals. more ambition in their midfield play, guaranteed a donation of at least midfield of Fred and Scott McTomi-
McTominay Fred
Where Kepa Arrizabalaga seems a helping them to finally put concerted £25,000, with their captain, Liam nay, who gave United the platform to
Fernandes timid player, Mendy wants to domi- pressure on Chelsea. Until then, Cooper, stating: “No children beat PSG in the Champions League in
nate and had a strong, sound, vocal neither side took the initiative and should ever go hungry.” The midweek, but the selection of the
Mata D James match — even if he did give Lampard both played with the handbrake on. defender tweeted: “Let’s do this hardworking but seldom-scoring
Rashford
one scare by almost scoring an own United’s caution stemmed from Leeds! No children should ever go James instead of Cavani or Mason
Werner goal with a stray pass in the first half. losing 6-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in hungry. £25k guaranteed from the Greenwood seemed overprosaic.
However, he ended with a third their previous game at Old Trafford, @lufc squad. We stand with you Rain poured, but the first 30 minutes
Pulisic Havertz clean sheet from his four appearances whereas Chelsea’s came because Lam- @MarcusRashford.” The Arsenal were hardly drenched in incident.
for Chelsea and foiled Marcus Rash- pard is attempting a necessary proc- outcast Mesut Özil also backed The key actions were defensive
Chilwell Kanté Jorginho R James ford twice, the second time in the 91st ess of tightening them up. Also averse Rashford, above, tweeting: “What ones: Silva stepping in to dispossess
minute when Bruno Fernandes teed to being a protagonist was Martin you’re doing is an incredible Rashford, Maguire intercepting a
up the forward with a clever touch. Atkinson, the referee. This led to him achievement that is helping so through pass from N’Golo Kanté to
Zouma Silva Azpilicueta
From 20 yards Rashford curled a bril- ignoring penalty claims from either many kids here in the UK.” Christian Pulisic and Fernandes and
liant shot that seemed sure to go in side and Chelsea had especially good The Leeds players’ gesture Pulisic committing tactical fouls.
3-4-2-1 Mendy only for the 6ft 6in Mendy to extend reason to feel aggrieved. came as football supporters It was as if Mendy decided to make
telescopically and tip it past the post. Towards the end of the tactical, stepped up their campaign to things interesting. Taking Kurt
In front of Mendy was Silva, attritional first half, Harry Maguire donate money to food banks in a Zouma’s pass in his own area, he
Star man Thiago Silva (Chelsea) acquired from Paris Saint-Germain, marked Azpilicueta at a corner. When boycott of pay-per-view Premier knocked a perilous ball in Silva’s
Yellow cards: Man Utd Shaw, Fred, Rashford
Chelsea Havertz and a connoisseur’s joy: elite in his the ball came across, Maguire put League matches. direction that travelled across his
Referee M Atkinson positioning and timing. The veteran both arms round Chelsea’s skipper goalmouth and almost into the net.
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 3

PLAYER RATINGS
PHIL NOBLE

MENDY MAKES A by Gary Jacob

DIFFERENCE
MAN UTD CHELSEA
Édouard
Mendy, right, DAVID ÉDOUARD
continues to DE GEA 6/10 MENDY 6/10
suggest that he
Saved well from Christian Pulisic but was Denied Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata in
may be the otherwise barely tested. Was at fault for two quick succession but was nearly embarrassed
solution to goals when the teams met in the FA Cup semi- when he dragged a pass intended for Thiago
Chelsea’s final last season Silva and the ball rolled past his empty goal
goalkeeping
problems. Shrugging off a VICTOR THIAGO 8/10
strange moment in the first half LINDELOF 8/10 SILVA
when he nearly passed the ball
Did nothing wrong and shepherded Timo Comfortable and confident as he finds his feet
into his own net, the Senegal No 1
Werner out to the left when on a dangerous in the league after difficult moments against
pulled off a string of fine stops, run. Axel Tuanzebe’s exclusion was harsh West Bromwich Albion. Rashly swung his boot
saving the best till last when he after his display in Paris at Rashford, dribbling into the penalty area
denied Marcus Rashford in
stoppage time to bring Chelsea HARRY 7/10 KURT 6/10
their third clean sheet in his four MAGUIRE ZOUMA
appearances for the club. Manchester United’s Daniel James was rendered ineffective by Chelsea.
Fortunate not to concede a penalty when he Had little to do at the back, avoided silly

Fearless James now

Little home comfort for United
Manchester United did not lose
but their form at Old Trafford
remains a problem. Away from
home they set new record on
Tuesday night at Paris Saint-
Germain with their tenth straight
win on the road but yesterday’s
result meant that, for the first time
since 1972, they have played their
first three home league games
without a win. United are without
a home league victory in five
games (D3 L2), their longest
winless run at Old Trafford since
February 1990 (six matches).
This seemed to remind other players
that the possibility of scoring existed.
Pulisic, robbing Fred, advanced and
skimmed a shot close. Fernandes then
dispossessed Jorginho to find Mata,
who played Rashford clear but
Mendy, extending a leg, made an
excellent stop.
Cavani’s arrival allowed Rashford
to shift from No 9 to his favoured spot
on the left, and Cavani’s movement
was focused and clever. After his
almost-lethal first touch, he did more
off the ball than on it, attacking spaces
in the box and when Maguire lofted a
fine long pass to send Rashford
through, the forward might have
looked for the Uruguayan, who had
sprinted into a danger area at the far
post, but instead chopped back on to
his right and Azpilicueta blocked.
Chelsea’s structure and control
were much better than in some previ-
ous league games and Lampard also
made productive changes when he
swapped Mason Mount and Tammy
Abraham for Havertz and Timo
Werner, both of whom looked tired.
Havertz had failed to connect when
Reece James spun in one of his threat-
ening crosses, the ball instead
glancing off Maguire and just beyond
a diving Pulisic at the far post.
Pogba got on the ball and set
United’s tempo, giving them someone
other than Fernandes to play through.
You wonder what Donny van de Beek
is thinking, though. The £40 million
signing from Ajax remained on the
bench and, behind both Pogba and
Fernandes in the attacking midfield
pecking order, he is finding game time
had his arms around César Azpilicueta and mistakes and helped Chelsea to a second
leant on Pulisic as the winger edged into the clean sheet. Went into the game having won
area. Otherwise solid the most aerial duels in Europe’s big leagues
LUKE 6/10 CÉSAR 7/10
SHAW
His positioning was a problem against
Tottenham Hotspur and United’s coaching
staff were shouting at him to tuck in. Booked
AZPILICUETA
Returned to the starting side to cover Reece
James and appealed for a penalty to no avail
after being manhandled. Had a tougher task
for a cynical foul on Reece James when Rashford was moved to the left side
AARON 7/10 JORGINHO 6/10
WAN-BISSAKA
Started as he continued with a good tackle on Good defensively and, early on, looked for
Pulisic and gave a confident defensive
performance. One low cross was claimed
balls around the corner and over the top to
catch out Harry Maguire. United’s first shot on
easily by Édouard Mendy target came after he lost the ball
JUAN 6/10 N’GOLO 6/10
MATA KANTÉ
Recalled to the team, the Spaniard managed Positioning was good but dallied in
to spring Rashford through on goal and possession. Strong battle with Fred and hit an
tested Mendy with a clever early shot at the excellent long diagonal ball towards Ben
near post Chilwell on the left before the move died
FRED BEN 6/10
6/10 CHILWELL
Some interceptions but pointlessly barged Solid and had some nice interplay with Kai
into the back of Ben Chilwell when going Havertz in attack but he wasted several good
nowhere, giving away a free kick, and lost the chances to deliver a threatening cross, in
ball to Pulisic in a dangerous place particular after the interval
BRUNO 5/10 REECE 7/10
FERNANDES JAMES
The Portugal playmaker was fairly quiet An attacking threat and made one fantastic
before the interval and stroked Jorginho delivery after the break. His execution did not
around the face in a manner that, while not match his quick thinking when he spotted that
aggressive, was petulant David De Gea had left a gap at the near post
DANIEL 4/10 CHRISTIAN 6/10
JAMES PULISIC
Had little service and ran down blind alleys. One early dribble troubled United but later
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shouted at him for not shot at the goalkeeper and dragged another
pressing high enough and for failing to attack effort wide. When he finally read a cross from
the ball quickly James, Chelsea failed to take advantage
SCOTT 5/10 TIMO 5/10
MCTOMINAY WERNER
Stood tall to stop drives from Pulisic but was Quiet game. Not living up to his record of
fairly wasteful going forward with his passing. scoring 30 league goals since the start of last
His aggression met the energy of N’Golo season, a record only bettered in Europe’s top
Kanté five leagues by three others
MARCUS 6/10 KAI 5/10
RASHFORD HAVERTZ
Will be mightily disappointed that he did not Continues to give the impression he is
find a sizeable gap in the corner when he struggling with intensity. One cute reverse
struck the ball early when advancing on pass, intended to release Werner, was overhit.
Mendy’s goal Was booked for a cynical tug on Fred’s shirt
TOTAL TOTAL
devoid of self-belief
Winger’s dramatic loss
of form typifies the
mounting problems
that Solskjaer is facing
Paul Hirst
August 11, 2019. Chelsea come to Old
Trafford and are blown away by Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer’s buccaneering
Manchester United team. United ride
their luck at times, but they are
ruthless in front of goal. Marcus
Rashford and Anthony Martial earn
praise from their manager for scoring
three goals between them, but the
man who wins the affection of those
in attendance is the diminutive Welsh
winger Daniel James, who scores on
his debut and celebrates in front of
the packed and joyous quadrant
between the Stretford End and the Sir
Alex Ferguson Stand.
James typifies everything about
how Solskjaer wants his team to play.
The £15 million signing from Swansea
City is fast, direct and does not mind
taking his man on.
After his debut that day, James
would go on to score another two
goals in his next three appearances,
the last of which came on August 31
when United drew 1-1 with
Southampton. James has not scored
in the league for United since.
In that 4-0 win over Chelsea, James
was fearless. César Azpilicueta, the
Chelsea right back, could not handle
James’s pace and his confidence was
high. In yesterday’s meeting with
Chelsea, the situation could not have
been more different.
James was devoid of self-belief and
every time the winger tried to get in
behind the Chelsea defence, either
Reece James or Azpilicueta blocked
his path. Sometimes it was not easy
20 yards, but then when he tried to
cut inside on to his favoured right
foot, Azpilicueta and Reece James
read the move and dispossessed the
winger.
Just after the start of the second
half, James faced goal once more. He
sprinted down the left and once again
the opposition second-guessed his
attempt to come inside. This time
Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva took the
ball off James with ease.
It was not a complete disaster for
James yesterday. There were a few
occasions when his decoy runs
created space for Rashford, United’s
main striker, and James’s pressing
was exemplary. But as an attacking
threat, James is proving to be too
predictable.
Maybe once he rediscovers his
confidence he will prove to be an
asset to Solskjaer again, but on
present form, it is something of a
surprise that the Norwegian has so
much faith in James. Solskjaer has
started the Welshman in three league
games so far.
The winger only started one league
game post lockdown last season.
Long-term there is no doubt that
James can make it as a top-flight
player. James is 22 so he has time on
his side, but he needs to be playing
regularly to rebuild his confidence.
He could end up excelling after a loan
or permanent spell elsewhere.
James’s selection was not the only
puzzling move that Solskjaer made in
his team selection. Juan Mata had an
excellent game in the 4-1 win over
Newcastle United, but Chelsea are a
far more energetic team and the
Spaniard had much less time on the
ball.
Given that Mata often tucked
inside, becoming almost an auxiliary
No 10 alongside Bruno Fernandes,
United had no threat down the right-
hand side. The conditions did not
help, but there was no width to

hard to come by.
A reliable scorer, he might have fan-
cied the opportunity presented to
Pogba when Victor Lindelof made a
rare break into the opposition box
and teed him up. The France mid-
fielder attempted to guide his shot
inside the near post but Silva, still
reading the play beautifully, blocked.
66/110
Substitutes Paul Pogba (for Mata 58min) 6
Edinson Cavani (for James 58) 6
Mason Greenwood (for McTominay 83)
68/110
Substitutes Tammy Abraham (for Werner 71)
Mason Mount (for Havertz 72)
Hakim Ziyech (for Pulisic 81)
watching the young Welshman
struggle against Chelsea’s organised
defence.
On two occasions in particular it
looked like James wanted the ground
to swallow him up. In the fifth minute
the winger got hold of the ball and
charged towards Chelsea’s defence.
He went unimpeded for the first 15 or
Solskjaer’s team, no danger down the
flanks, as was the case in the reverse
fixture last year when Rashford and
Jesse Lingard, and then James, looked
dangerous down the wings.
It was a defensive-minded line-up
from Solskjaer and it came as little
surprise that the match turned into a
boring draw.
4 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Football Premier League
In-form Zaha rises to Hodgson’s challenge
1
FULHAM
Cairney 90+5
CRYSTAL PALACE
Riedewald 8, Zaha 64 2 the wind was quickly taken out of
W
Paul Rowan
ilfried Zaha responded
to the challenge
thrown down by his
manager Roy Hodgson
last week to tear
Fulham apart with an
assist and a goal, his
fifth of the season,
which already matches his tally for
last term.
Either he was spurred on by his
manager’s assertions that he can
produce even more than he has
already given this season, or it was a
case of easy pickings for Zaha against
the leakiest defence in the Premier
League.
First he set up Jairo Riedewald for
Crystal Palace’s opener, then scored
himself just after the hour mark.
Fulham created a few chances of
their own, but only managed to get
on the scoresheet late in stoppage
time when Tom Cairney struck a
sweet 25-yard drive past Vicente
Guaita, the Crystal Palace goalkeeper.
“I wasn’t being negative,” Hodgson
said. “Wilfried was great today. I’ve
never doubted his commitment to
the cause and that he’s going to win
us matches with his skill and ability.
He was a constant thorn in the side of
the Fulham defence and we could
have actually scored a few more.”
In blustery conditions on the
banks of the Thames, Fulham started
Alyson
Rudd
Sports feature
writer of the year
Madcap, erratic
goalkeeping
performances
are already
defining wacky
season, and it’s
all Pep’s fault
brightly after picking up their first
point of the season in their previous
game away to Sheffield United, but
their sails when the visiting team took
an early lead. It was a classic sucker
punch, even so early in the game,
with Zaha darting like a kingfisher
and shooting from a tight angle. The
Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola
beat the ball away, but it came
straight back to Zaha and he teed up
Riedewald, who thumped the ball in
from close range. It was the
midfielder’s first goal for Palace since
moving from Ajax in July 2017.
Anything Zaha could do, Ademola
Lookman could try also, but the
problem for Fulham was that the
former Everton and RB Leipzig player
did not have quite the same
composure in the opposition penalty
area.
Fulham put some neat passages of
play together and created a couple of
openings in the first half. The closest
they came to scoring was in the 26th
minute when their adventurous right
back Antonee Robinson teed up
Lookman, whose low shot came off
the upright straight into the path of
Aleksandar Mitrovic, only for the
Fulham centre forward to blaze the
ball over.
At that stage Zaha could have had a
hat-trick as he tormented the Fulham
right back Ola Aina and the Palace
forward forced another close-range
save from Areola, before he blotted
his copybook when he steered a
header wide from Andros
Townsend’s cross.
Palace are always difficult to peg
back when they go a goal ahead so
Never before has the humble
goalkeeper been so firmly at the
heart of what makes a season tick.
This is a wacky sort of campaign but a
good deal of what makes it so
peculiar can be explained by the
keepers.
After the three mistakes made by
Bernd Leno in Arsenal’s Europa
League tie on Thursday evening, his
manager took the blame. Mikel
Arteta said he wanted his keeper to
play the ball out but that it was tough,
calculating when to distribute with
elegance and when to hoof it.
Goalkeepers are not just shot
stoppers and “characters” any more.
They are now expected to be as
visionary as Andrea Pirlo or Franz
Beckenbauer while claiming crosses
and keeping their concentration
when the action is at the other end.
This is all Pep Guardiola’s fault.
The Manchester City manager was
openly critical of Joe Hart four years
ago because he was an old-fashioned,
shout-a-lot, save-a-lot keeper who
failed to spot the imminent run of a
midfielder. It was brutal, Hart was
axed but it worked, and City
blossomed as Ederson became the
Premier League’s poster boy for
sweeper keepers. The pundits
drooled that City looked like they
had 12 players on the pitch with the
Brazil player performing two
roles.
This in turn led to a crisis
in confidence for the
MIKE HEWITT
1
Riedewald celebrates with Jeffrey Schlupp after Palace’s opening goal
Fulham’s haul of just
one point after their
first six games is their
worst return at this
stage of a top-flight
campaign
goalkeeping profession and deeply
ordinary keepers suddenly looked
abysmal. In 2018, Jürgen Klopp spent
£67 million on Alisson and three
weeks later Chelsea trumped that
deal by buying Kepa Arrizabalaga for
£71 million.
Alisson flourished to the point that
his absence because of injury now
causes Liverpool supporters to weep
over the anticipated gaffes to come
through Adrián. Meanwhile, Kepa,
the world’s most expensive keeper,
struggled with the weight of
expectation. Too many goals
conceded by Frank Lampard’s team
have been either arguably or
obviously down to keeper error.
Naturally, the club wanted to
protect their asset while Lampard
needed to protect his defence. The
Chelsea manager won the argument
and brought in Edouard Mendy who,
as luck would have it, kept a clean
sheet on his league debut then
missed a game in which Kepa
committed a couple of howlers. It
might be that, with Mendy injured,
Lampard picked Kepa for last
weekend’s game against
Southampton to maintain some
market value for the Spaniard but, if
so, it backfired as he hesitated,
seemingly unsure of what to do, as
Che Adams advanced.
Mendy was back in the team for
the Champions League game against
Seville on Tuesday and suddenly the
west London club were resolute at
when they scored a second it looked
like curtains for the home side. The
goal came in the 64th minute after
Palace had soaked up another bout of
Fulham pressure. Townsend broke
down the right and the ball was
moved to Michy Batshuayi, who
played a great low ball across the six-
the back with the Senegal keeper
making a fine save and claiming a
second clean sheet for his new club.
Mendy had looked uninspiring in the
penalty shoot-out against Spurs in
the Carabao Cup but escaped
criticism against the backdrop of the
memory of Kepa refusing to be
substituted for the shoot-out in last
year’s Carabao Cup final.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile,
pinned his reputation on sticking
with David De Gea, in spite of
reasonable evidence that a once
remarkable keeper was in severe
decline, and the Spaniard repaid his
manager with an outstanding display
against Paris Saint-Germain on
Tuesday in a victory that has silenced
LEAGUES APART
FROM THE NORM
If it has been unsettling, the
majestic way Everton have begun
the campaign, then be reassured
there are anomalies across the
continent with Lille outshining
PSG, Leipzig lighting up the
Bundesliga, Milan and Sassuolo
surprising Italy and Real Madrid
and Barcelona looking up at
Villareal and Real Sociedad.
Whatever next? Rangers to lead
the SPL while scoring wonder
goals in Europe?
yard area for Zaha to tuck in at the far
post.
In doing so he collided with the
upright and ended up howling in
pain in the back of the Fulham goal,
but thankfully, at least for the away
side, he was able to resume after
receiving treatment.
All hope for Fulham appeared to
have disappeared when the
substitute Aboubakar Kamara was
shown a straight red after a VAR
review for a high challenge on
Eberechi Eze in the 88th minute, and
Cairney’s excellent late strike came
too late to affect the result.
Fulham have now made their
worst start to a Premier League
campaign and Scott Parker, the
manager, is already starting to clutch
at straws. “We started well, but it’s a
game of fine margins in this division
and you have to be ruthless,” he said.
Hodgson offered some words of
encouragement and consolation to
his old club, but there was a chill
wind and freezing rain blowing in
from the river by the end of the
evening, which summed up the
grim mood.
Star man Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
Fulham (4-3-3): A Areola 6 — O Aina 5, T
Adarabioyo 6, T Ream 6, A Robinson 6 — A Zambo
Anguissa 5 (A Kamara 66min, 4), M Lemina 5, T
Cairney 6 — R Loftus-Cheek 5 (B De Cordova-Reid
74), A Mitrovic 5, A Lookman 6 (H Reid 79).
Subs not used M Rodak, D Odoi, Me Le Marchand,
H Reed, J Bryan.
Sent off Kamara.
Crystal Palace (4-4-2): V Guaita 6 — N Clyne 6 (P
Van Aanholt 72min, 6), S Dann 7, C Kouyaté 7, T
Mitchell 6 — A Townsend 7, L Milivojevic 7, J
Reidewald 7 (M Sakho 84), J Schlupp 6 (E Eze 76)
— W Zaha 8, M Batshuayi 7. Booked Guaita
Subs not used M Meyer, S Henderson, C Benteke,
M Kelly.
Referee G Scott.
those calling for the Norwegian to be
sacked. Dean Henderson loitering in
the wings at Old Trafford is also
significant not least because Sheffield
United are struggling without the
excellent keeper they had on loan for
their impressive season after they
won promotion to the top flight.
That Aston Villa were, briefly, a
fairytale in the making, getting us all
dreamily nostalgic about what
Leicester did four years ago, was due
in large part to their signing of
Emiliano Martínez from Arsenal, who
saved a penalty on his debut and has
helped enormously to add
confidence to Dean Smith’s defence.
As for Jordan Pickford, he was
already regularly in the headlines as
he veered from brilliant to
calamitous but will now be referred
to every time Liverpool concede
without Virgil van Dijk, who was
injured by the Everton keeper in the
Merseyside derby.
As if to illustrate the point, Fulham
have become a club obsessed with
keepers, most recently taking
Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-
Germain when the highly rated
Marek Rodak had done nothing
wrong. It was eccentric positioning,
late in August’s play-off final, from
Brentford’s David Reya, that Scott
Parker’s team exploited for the
breakthrough — meaning that
Fulham were promoted by virtue of
the opposition goalkeeper, setting
the tone for what has followed.
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 5

Antonio class
RICHARD PELHAM

THE GAFFER
TAPES
WHAT THE
MANAGERS

leaves City SAID

searching for David Moyes:

There’s no doubt

momentum
the players have
taken confidence
[from recent
matches]. The way
they have been
playing and have
trained, they’ve

1
been very good. It
WEST HAM UNITED 5-4-1
Antonio 18 8 was tough in the
Fabianski last 20, 30
MANCHESTER CITY
Foden 51 1 6
7 7
Balbuena Ogbonna Cresswell
7
8
minutes, but we
were still a threat.
When we lost
Coufal Masuaku

A
James Gheerbrant
re Manchester City good
enough to take advantage of
the Virgil van Dijk-shaped
hole in Liverpool’s title
defence? The injury to their
rivals’ defensive rock ought
to have tilted the title race in
City’s favour, but they look a
shadow of the team who won back-to-
back Premier League crowns. Having
been held to a draw in this, their fifth
game of the campaign, they have
already dropped half as many points
as they did in the entirety of Pep
Guardiola’s magnificent second sea-
son.
Though they improved after a poor
first half, and dominated the posses-
sion and shot count, City’s attacking
play was mostly one-dimensional
until the introduction of Kevin De
Bruyne, while they remain vulnerable
to the sort of vertical counterattacks
through the middle that were their
undoing in the Champions League
quarter-final against Lyons in August.
This was not a bad performance, but it
was a long way from the heights of
scintillating positional football that
they once touched under Guardiola.
“We didn’t find the last pass in the
first half; second half we were better,”
Guardiola said. “We didn’t play bad
except for the last ten minutes of the
first half. Their defenders were so
deep it’s difficult to find spaces. We’ve
already dropped seven points. We’ve
struggled for many reasons.”
This was West Ham’s fourth good
league result in a row, after wins
against Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Leicester City and the extraordi-
nary comeback draw against Totten-
ham Hotspur last Sunday. David
Moyes’s 5-4-1 system looks solid and
suddenly this team have a ceiling
higher than mid-table adequacy. City
7 7 Michail [Antonio]
6 7 then it changed
Soucek Rice
Bowen Fornals slightly, but overall
7 I’m really pleased.
Antonio
6 6 6
Sterling Agüero Mahrez
7 5 5
Gündogan Rodri Silva
7 6
Pep Guardiola: In
6 5
Cancelo Walker
the second half we
García Dias
were better, we
6 scored and had the
4-3-3 Ederson chances. I would
prefer to have
results but we have
Substitutes: West Ham United A Yarmolenko to analyse where
(for Antonio, 52min) 6; S Haller (for Bowen 69) 6. Antonio
Subs not used M Lanzini, M Noble, I Diop, R celebrates his we are. Many
Fredericks, D Randolph. first-half injuries, a lack of
Manchester City P Foden (for Agüero h-t) 6; K preparation, no
De Bruyne (for Silva 68) 6; O Zinchenko (for overhead kick
Walker 78). Subs not used J Stones, Z Steffen, F that gave West recovery time, and
Torres, C Palmer. Ham the lead tough games we
Star man Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United). have played. But
Referee A Taylor. the players gave
Yellow cards West Ham Coufal, Balbuena.
everything. Now
we recover and
Ham were hopeful that Michail Anto- think about the
nio’s was not serious, “but maybe we next game.
have to give him rest time”, while
Guardiola suggested that Sergio
Agüero would also have a scan. ised the tactical foul, and how pain-
West Ham took the lead with their fully inadequate the present rules and PEP’S WORST START TO
first half-chance. Vladimir Coufal
swung in a high cross from the right.
referees are at disincentivising it.
At half-time, Guardiola brought on LEAGUE CAMPAIGN
With his back to goal, Rúben Dias Phil Foden in place of Agüero, push-
behind and the trajectory of the ball ing Sterling up front, and the change
curving away, Antonio brilliantly bore dividend within six minutes. 6 Pep Guardiola has made his
executed the only option available: Cancelo zipped past Coufal down the worst start to a league season
connecting with a perfectly timed left and centred for Foden, who did (after five matches) in 12
overhead kick that flew past Ederson. well to control the cross, swivel and campaigns as a manager. His tally
The better chances then fell to West finish past Fabianski at his near post. of eight points after five matches
Ham. Aaron Cresswell whipped in a City were now ascendant. Scenting is the lowest he has in charge of
cross and Pablo Fornals’s flick-on blood, Guardiola removed the ineffec- Barcelona, Bayern Munich and
skidded through the six-yard area. tual Bernardo Silva and introduced now Manchester City. Indeed, it is
Antonio streaked clear and was only De Bruyne, whose passing trans- the first time he has failed to
thwarted by a perfectly timed tackle formed the game. Having whipped a reach double figures in points in
from Eric García. At the other end, free kick straight at Fabianski, the Bel- any of those 12 seasons.

and West Ham were two of the form
teams of the post-lockdown summer,
but only the latter have been able to
extend that excellence into autumn.
RAHEEM
João Cancelo’s cross found Riyad gium international curled a pass to
Mahrez, who could only guide the ball Mahrez, who was about to pull the Guardiola’s Premier League
at Lukasz Fabianski. trigger as Arthur Masuaku intervened. starts
West Ham continued to threaten, City were leaving themselves open.

STERLING
Season P W D L F A Pts Pos
“Brilliant character from the play- and when Declan Rice rumbled With every outfield player in the 2020-21 5 2 2 1 8 8 8 12
2019-20 5 3 1 1 16 6 10 2
ers, they showed it on Sunday and through the centre, City were in such attacking half, Tomas Soucek slid in a 2018-19 5 4 1 0 14 3 13 3
today they showed it in a different disarray that Ilkay Gündogan clung through ball to Fornals, whose chip 2017-18 5 4 1 0 16 2 13 1
way,” Moyes said. “I went into the on to his back like a tenacious rodeo floated meekly into Ederson’s gloves. 2016-17 5 5 0 0 15 4 15 1

game thinking, ‘We’ve got a real
chance of getting something.’ That
says a lot.”
Both managers lost their centre
forward midway through the game to
a hamstring injury. Moyes said West
rider. The advantage played by To read Jonathan Northcroft’s City had two final chances. De
Anthony Taylor amounted to nought, exclusive interview with the Bruyne played a magnificent pass to 6 Guardiola had previously won
and when there was eventually a stop- Sterling, but Fabianski made a save. all of his nine games against West
page, he did not book Gündogan. It Man City forward, see: There was one last effort by Mahrez, Ham United, with a 30-3
was a vignette that perfectly demon- MAGAZINE, COVER STORY but Fabianski slammed the door, leav- aggregate score.
strated how big teams have weapon- ing City searching for momentum.
6 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times

Football

Klopp nerves
put to the test
by Liverpool
LIVERPOOL
Firmino 41, Jota 64 2 7
Alisson
4-2-3-1

SHEFFIELD UNITED
Berge 13 (pen) 1 7
Ian Whittell
Of all the unforeseen adjustments
forced upon Jürgen Klopp in 2020, the
greatest, surely, still looms ahead of
him as Virgil van Dijk faces an unspec-
ified length of time — almost certainly
the entirety of the season — recover-
ing from knee ligament surgery. On
the evidence of 90 entertaining min-
utes at Anfield last night, it is going to
be a long, long wait for his return.
Goals from Roberto Firmino and
Diogo Jota were a reminder of the
force Liverpool still represent, as they
moved joint top of the table with rivals
Everton but, in this unpredictable
start to the season, there were also
plenty of reminders of the main prob-
lems facing Klopp.
Factors such as empty stadiums, a
compacted schedule and abnormal
close-season preparation will be
debated for the remainder of this
season and beyond but sometimes the
facts are simple and right in front of
you. Van Dijk was the best defender in
the league for, arguably, the past two
seasons and is no longer available.
Even before falling behind on 13
minutes, though, Liverpool should
Alexander-
5
Fabinho
5
Gomez
7
Robertson
Arnold 6 7
Wijnaldum Henderson
7 7 8
Jota Firmino Mane
7
Salah
5 6
Salah tries to find
Brewster McBurnie a way past Enda
6 8
Stevens at
Osborn 6 7 7 Baldock
Anfield last night
Lundstram Ampadu Berge
where Liverpool
7 overcame an
7 7
Stevens early deficit to
Egan Basham
claim a fourth
6 league win of
3-5-2 Ramsdale the season
Substitutions: Liverpool: D Jota (J Milner 83), R
Firmino (T Minamino 83) Subs not used: Adrián, C
Jones, X Shaqiri, N Phillips, N Williams.
Sheff Utd: J Lundstram (D McGoldrick 76), R
Brewster (O Burke 54). Subs not used: B Sharp, P ball, rounding the keeper and shoot- nie on the edge of the Liverpool Sander Berge showed admirable
Jagielka, O Norwood, J Robinson, M Verrips. ing goalwards, forcing John Egan into penalty area. composure to score his second goal
Referee: Mike Dean.
a goal-saving clearance with Salah Mike Dean, the referee, instantly for the club with an emphatic penalty
waiting in the six-yard area. spotted the foul, signalling for a free into the bottom right-hand corner.
have opened their account, poten- Sheffield United’s goal, perhaps kick inches outside the area, before It was the first time this season that
tially in the first minute when Aaron inevitably, came from an error by Van the VAR Andre Marriner reassessed Sheffield United had led in a Premier
Ramsdale came steaming out of his Dijk’s replacement — positionally, at and judged, correctly it certainly League game and Liverpool, who
area, unnecessarily, to try to intercept least — Fabinho, who “celebrated” his appeared, that McBurnie’s foot had responded with an unconvincing
Andy Robertson’s through ball. move from midfield into the centre of been on the line and, therefore, a Georginio Wijnaldum shot that flew
Sadio Mané easily beat him to the defence by bringing down Oli McBur- penalty should be awarded. over, looked rattled.

Mepham’s 1
I’ve got to be honest and say that on Capoue’s pass but could not flick past
WATFORD
Perica 12 another day it could have been a red Asmir Begovic. HOW THEY
card. Lloyd has been out for a month Bournemouth then dominated.
STAND
BOURNEMOUTH
1 and I think that showed in the Josh King and the substitute Dominic

late show Mepham 90+5 opening half-hour of the game. It’s

difficult to get thrown straight
into a game like that. I felt we
Solanke went close, King sending a
rising shot just wide, Solanke forcing
Ben Foster into a fine save. Reading
P
7
W
6
D
1
L
0
F
11
A Pts
1 19

secures
Ivan Speck
deserved the equaliser. If we Vladimir Ivic, the Watford Bristol City 7 4 2 1 11 6 14
Given the intertwined recent hadn’t got it, it would have head coach, said: “We can be Watford 7 4 2 1 7 3 14
histories of Watford and been very harsh.” disappointed because we Bournemouth 7 3 4 0 10 6 13

point for
Bournemouth, it was perhaps no After a feisty opening ten conceded a goal in extra time, Norwich 7 4 1 2 8 6 13
surprise that they could not be minutes, the manner in but we need to be realistic and Millwall 7 3 3 1 8 5 12
separated at Vicarage Road. which Watford took the lead know that we have played against a
Swansea 7 3 3 1 8 5 12
The clubs were both promoted to was more pleasing on the eye. very good team.”

Cherries the Premier League in 2015 and came

back down together this summer.
How they came to secure a point
Craig Cathcart arrowed a 40-
yard pass from the left in his
own half to the right touchline,
Star man Philip Billing (Bournemouth).
Watford (3-5-2): B Foster 7 — C
Kabasele 6, W Troost-Ekong 6, C
Stoke
Luton
Blackburn
Brentford
7
7
7
7
3
4
3
3
3
0
1
1
1
3
3
3
9
6
16
12
7
6
7
12
12
10
10 10
apiece in a draw that maintains both Sarr cushioned it superbly and Cathcart 7 — J Ngakia 5, J Garner 5
(É Capoue h-t, 6), N Chalobah 6, T Preston 7 3 1 3 10 8 10
sides’ impressive starts to the new speared in a low cross, which
Cleverley 7 (Quina 64min, 7), K Middlesbrough 7 2 4 1 6 5 10
season was much less predictable. Stipe Perica Sema 6 — I Sarr 8, S Perica 6 (J Huddersfield 7 3 1 3 6 8 10
Bournemouth were indebted to turned Pedro 81). Subs not used D
Cardiff 7 2 3 2 6 6 9
the referee Tim Robinson after 90 home at Bachmann, B Wilmot, F
Sierralta, G Murray. Booked QPR 7 1 4 2 6 7 7
seconds for not sending off Lloyd full stretch
Garner, Chalobah, Cleverley. Birmingham 7 1 4 2 3 4 7
Kelly for a raking challenge on for his first Bournemouth (3-5-2): A
Ismaïla Sarr, and then to another Watford goal. Sarr Begovic 7 — C Mepham 7, S Rotherham 7 1 3 3 5 9 6
central defender in Chris Mepham in might have made it 2-0 in Cook 7, L Kelly 5 — J Stacey 6, J Nottm Forest 7 1 2 4 4 9 5
Lerma 6 (D Solanke 18, 7), L Cook Coventry 7 1 2 4 6 14 5
the fifth minute of added time for the second half when he 7, P Billing 8, D Rico 6 (R Riquelme
turning home Kelly’s shot from a raced on to Étienne Barnsley 7 0 4 3 6 10 4
85) — J King 7, A Danjuma 6 (J
corner to secure a merited equaliser. Stanislas 73, 6). Subs not used M Derby 7 1 1 5 3 11 4
Travers, J Simpson, D Gosling, S Wycombe 7 0 0 7 2 15 0
Jason Tindall, the Bournemouth Mepham equalises in Surridge.
manager, said about Kelly’s the fifth minute of Booked Kelly, Rico. Sheff Wed 7 2 2 3 5 6 -4
challenge: “I saw it in slow motion. stoppage time Referee T Robinson.
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 7

JOHN POWELL/LIVERPOOL FC

FOOTBALL LEAGUE
beaten every 20 minutes, on average,
across his two outings against Aston
Villa and Everton.

There were strong, but ultimately
futile, appeals for handball after Chris
Basham’s cross struck the arm of Rob-
ertson and on-loan Chelsea mid-
fielder Ethan Ampadu floated in a
superb cross, which played McBurnie
through wide on goal only for the
striker to shoot across the target,
when he should have at least tested
Alisson.
FOCUS
Alisson’s handling, his punching
from crosses and set-pieces and his
distribution had steadied a defence
which had made its worst start to a
league season since 1953, conceding
13 times in their first five games.
Salah had a rare glimpse of goal
before the interval, only to be pre-
vented from shooting from six yards
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP
out by Egan’s well-timed tackle but Norwich City had a habit of scoring although two late Marcus Forss
Sheffield United’s defence was less late goals when winning promotion goals gave Stoke a scare.
organised when Liverpool equalised two seasons ago and they have Blackburn Rovers won 4-0 away
four minutes before the interval. started in similar fashion this term to Coventry City, who had Michael
Jordan Henderson’s deep cross (Peter Wilson writes). Mario Vrancic Rose sent off after 14 minutes.
picked out an unmarked Mané in the added a stoppage-time free kick in Adam Armstrong opened the
Sheffield United penalty area and, the 2-1 win against Wycombe scoring from the penalty spot a
after Ramsdale had made a fine reflex Wanderers to his 87th-minute minute later. He added a second
block to keep out a powerful header, winner against Birmingham City in before Harvey Elliott, on loan from
Firmino was on hand to tap in the midweek. Teemu Pukki fired Liverpool, scored. Elliott made the
rebound. The beaten ‘keeper led the
PREMIER LEAGUE
Norwich into an early lead, with fourth for Sam Gallagher.
appeals for offside but, on this occa- Scott Kashket equalising. Norwich’s Two quickfire Alan Browne goals
sion, VAR offered no reprieve. Adam Idah was sent off deep in helped Preston North End to a 2-1
P W D L Pts
Baldock, the impressive Sheffield stoppage time. It was Wycombe’s win away to Huddersfield Town,
Everton 5 4 1 0 13
United wing back, sensed a moment seventh successive league defeat. who had Naby Sarr dismissed.
Liverpool 6 4 1 1 13
of glory early in the second half, Yakou Méïté scored twice as the Barnsley drew 1-1 against
Aston Villa 5 4 0 1 12
shooting excitedly from the edge of league leaders Reading beat Millwall, while Queens Park Rangers
Leeds 6 3 1 2 10
the area and seeing his effort Rotherham United 3-0 to go five and Birmingham both went a sixth
Crystal Palace 6 3 1 2 10
deflected just wide, but Liverpool points clear. Lucas João added a match without a win, drawing 0-0.
Chelsea 6 2 3 1 9
were slowly gaining momentum and stoppage-time penalty. Sheffield Wednesday had Joost
Leicester 5 3 0 2 9
looking more like themselves. Stoke City helped derail van Aken sent off in a 1-0 home
Arsenal 5 3 0 2 9
The visitors tried to disrupt Liver- Brentford’s automatic promotion defeat by Luton Town. Neil Warnock
Wolves 5 3 0 2 9
pool’s flow with a series of niggly fouls hopes last season and halted them returned to Cardiff City where his
Tottenham 5 2 2 1 8
and general time wasting although again yesterday, winning 3-2, Middlesbrough side drew 1-1.
West Ham 6 2 2 2 8
that was not enough to stop Salah
Manchester City 5 2 2 1 8
finding the net just after the hour.
Southampton 5 2 1 2 7
Alexander-Arnold played forward
Newcastle
Manchester United
5
5
2
2
1
1
2
2
7
7
a cross, which the Egyptian controlled
audaciously with a phenomenal
LEAGUE ONE ROUND-UP
Brighton 5 1 1 3 4
touch, juggling it, then poking it on It was Lincoln City’s turn to go top Portsmouth. Marcus Harness gave
West Bromwich 5 0 2 3 2
the volley just beyond the dive of this weekend. They won 1-0 at the visiting team a seventh-minute
Burnley 4 0 1 3 1
Ramsdale. The VAR was correct in home to Ipswich Town thanks to lead but Charlie Wyke equalised
Sheffield United 6 0 1 5 1
judging Salah offside but what a goal Jorge Grant’s 77th-minute penalty. soon after. John Marquis, inset,
Fulham 6 0 1 5 1
that would have been. The visitors had the former Lincoln fired Portsmouth back in front.
Not that it took long for Liverpool to midfielder Jon Nolan sent off five Sunderland had Luke O’Nien sent
put that disappointment behind minutes into stoppage time. off, with Marquis scoring from the
George Baldock, similarly, picked them. After 64 minutes, Mane showed Hull City dropped from top resulting spot kick.
out Ben Osborn with a fabulous far- persistence and skill down the left, to third after losing 2-1 at Steve Evans, the
post ball with which the midfielder sent over a far-post cross and, with home to Peterborough Gillingham manager, has
connected, first-time, with an Enda Stevens caught out by the flight United, who accused the EFL of a
impressive volley that was well saved of the ball, Jota powered in an unstop- leapfrogged them into “dereliction of duty”
by Alisson. pable header. second. It was a fifth after Fleetwood Town
Thank goodness that Klopp, the There were chances for the visitors straight league win for players were not tested
Liverpool manager, had been able to and an anxious finale but Salah might Darren Ferguson’s side. for Covid-19. Gillingham
welcome back his Brazilian No 1 in have eased those concerns when he Mallik Wilks fired Hull into lost 2-0, four days after
place of hapless stand-in Adrián — struck the post after 80 minutes. a first-half lead but Fleetwood played
Peterborough battled back with a Accrington Stanley, after which
header from Jonson Clarke-Harris eight Accrington players tested
and Siriki Dembélé’s shot. positive with the virus.

Swansea left frustrated by late penalty

Sunderland relinquished the only Doncaster Rovers followed up
unbeaten record in the division, their 4-1 defeat of Ipswich with a 2-1
going down 3-1 at home to home loss to Crewe Alexandra.

BRISTOL CITY
Wells 83 (pen)
SWANSEA CITY
Lowe 51
Graham Thomas
Only work purposes or the giving of
care allow Welsh residents to cross
the border at present — regulations
that Swansea City followed to the
letter by delivering a workmanlike
performance that seemed about to
take care of Bristol City.
But in the 83rd minute Connor
Roberts tangled with Bristol City’s
Antoine Semenyo and Oliver
Langford, the referee, awarded the
softest of penalties that enabled
Nahki Wells, right, to salvage a point.
Wells’s third goal of the season
denied Swansea a victory that would
have lifted them to second in the
table and ensured they leapt above
the home team in the process.
With time petering out, a long ball
pumped diagonally across Swansea’s
1
penalty area seemed to pose little
danger, but Roberts’s slip was
penalised as Semenyo also tumbled
1 to the ground.
The decision angered Steve
Cooper, the Swansea manager, who
said: “For a decision to be made
like that, it’s hard to keep my
mouth shut.
“We had talked about
this referee in the pre-
match build-up. And it
was true to form. To
make that decision,
there’s nothing you can
coach or say that can
make that any better in
preparation.
“This league is so hard to get
points in, so to be on the back end of
a decision like that when we were so
comfortable in the game is a difficult
one to take, to be honest.”
Bristol City improved after half-
time, but Swansea — with new signing
Ryan Bennett adding an abrasive
edge to their defence — were
dominant throughout.
They went ahead just after the
interval when a flowing move ended
with Roberts picking out Jamal Lowe.
The former Wigan Athletic
forward let the ball roll across on to
his left side before hitting a vicious
drive into the top corner.
After Wells levelled from
the penalty spot, Swansea
had the better chances to
win the game, most
notably when the
midfielder Korey Smith
blasted over, but they
had to settle for a point.
Star man J Lowe.
Bristol City (3-3-2-2): D Bentley 6; Z Vyner
7, T Kalas 6, T Moore 6 (N Wells 77min, 7); S
Sessegnon 6 (F Diedhiou 72, 5), C Brunt 6, J
Dasilva 6; A Weimann 6 (C O’Dowda 64, 5), J
Paterson 6; A Semenyo 6, C Martin 7. Not used J
Hunt, M O’Leary, T Rowe, T Bakinson. Booked
Wells. Swansea City (3-5-2): F Woodman 6; B
Cabango 6, R Bennett 7, M Guehi 7; C Roberts 6, K
Smith 6, J Fulton 6, M Grimes 6, J Bidwell 6; A
Ayew 6, Lowe 7 (V Gyokeres 76, 5). Not used S
Benda, R Manning, K Naughton, Y Dhanda, W
Routledge, L Cullen. Booked Roberts, Smith,
Fulton, Grimes.
Referee Oliver Langford.
LEAGUE TWO ROUND-UP
Newport County’s sixth win in their
past seven league games, 3-0 away
to Bradford City, took them to the
top of the table. Mickey Demetriou
fired the south Wales side in front in
the first minute. Padraig Amond, a
substitute, doubled the lead before
half-time, with Matt converting a
stoppage-time penalty.
Newport replaced Cambridge
United at the summit. Cambridge
were held 1-1 at home by Bolton
Wanderers after taking a 72nd-
minute lead when Billy Crellin, the
visiting goalkeeper, punched the
ball into his own net. Antoni
Sarcevic struck the equaliser eight
minutes from time.
Exeter City made it seven games
without defeat in all competitions
with a 3-1 win against Scunthorpe
United. Joel Randall and Matt Jay
scored in the space of three first-
half minutes, and despite a 48th-
minute reply from Jai Rowe, Jake
Taylor secured the points.
Harrogate Town’s four-game
winning run ended with a 2-1 defeat
away to Colchester United.
Southend United, the bottom
club, lost 2-0 away to Tranmere
Rovers to remain without a league
victory, as are Barrow, who drew 2-2
at home against Walsall after twice
going in front. Caolan Lavery
scored twice for the visitors.
Mansfield Town also went an
eighth league match this season
without a win, although they
grabbed a good point in a 0-0 draw
at high-flying Cheltenham Town.
Two late goals in the space of
four minutes from Jake Young and
Jamille Matt helped Forest Green
Rovers to come from behind to win
2-1 away to Morecambe.
8 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Football
I looked at Dom
and thought: ‘He’s
got everything’
Calvert-Lewin is benefiting from being
given a proper run in the side by Ancelotti
WAYNE
ROONEY
B
efore last week’s Mersey
derby I had a feeling I
haven’t had since I was a
young lad supporting Ever-
ton. It was a confidence that
we could go toe-to-toe with
Liverpool. For the first time
in a long time I didn’t fear
being second best: I just couldn’t wait
for the game to come round.
I think a lot of Everton supporters
feel the same — there is just a different
belief among us, currently. And the
team did not let us down in the derby.
By coming back twice against a
Liverpool side that played so well, it
showed the big strides being made at
Goodison Park.
The transformation comes from
the manager. Everything I thought
Carlo Ancelotti could bring to
Everton, he has brought. His work has
been brilliant. If you look at the very
best managers, while they might have
different systems and styles, the thing
they tend to have in common is a clear
idea of the team they want.
Selection is simple and consistent:
they have eight or nine players who, if
fit, always play. Through this, they
Ramos
penalty
earns
respite
for Real
Ramos celebrates
his penalty winner
build confidence and understanding
and from a man-management point of
view make their own job easier —
instead of having to keep a squad of 20
engaged and happy, they only have to
worry about the ten or so who aren’t
getting the game time.
Those times José Mourinho has
struggled have been when he has had
to play a lot of different players — you
contrast them to the stability he had
Chelsea and Inter Milan and which he
is maybe starting to find, again, at
Spurs. It’s similar with Pep
Guardiola. He ran into difficulties at
Manchester City when he began
having to swap his players around.
Jürgen Klopp made Liverpool strong
by finding a settled XI.
Ancelotti — one of the most
experienced in the business — knows
the power of consistent selection and
used the end of last season to figure
out which players he wanted to play
and who he needed to bring in. His
signings have been spot on, especially
Allan in terms of the role he fills for the
team, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin
shows what a regular line up can do
for a player.
Before, Dominic would come into
Everton’s side, play four or five
games, then be taken out again. That
happened every season since his
debut in 2016. But sometimes you just
need to get to past that.
Ancelotti has used him in every
1
BARCELONA
Fati 8
REAL MADRID
3 new boss, Ronald Koeman. He had
Valverde 5, Ramos 63 (pen), Modric
90
Ian Hawkey
Nou Camp
The first Spanish Clasico to take
place in an empty arena turned
out to be full of incident,
including moments of
excellence, and, crowd or no
crowd, will have its usual
carriage of repercussions.
Real Madrid, who had lost
twice in the previous week,
are buoyant again, Sergio
Ramos once more their
lodestar after winning and
converting the penalty that
put the Liga champions 2-1
ahead and provided the
impulse for a commanding
last half-hour.
Relief, then, for Zinédine
Zidane, the Real head coach who
was heavily criticised after
Calvert-Lewin
has been in
fantastic form
this season and is
prospering under
Ancelotti, below
game of his Everton reign and at the
end of 2019-20, when Dominic went
ten games without scoring, Ancelotti
kept starting him. We’re seeing the
rewards. Dominic always had it in him
and the big question mark was
whether he could score consistently
enough, but now that is coming
through game time.
When I returned to Everton he was
entering his second season with the
club. I looked at him in training and
thought ‘he has everything’. He was
quick, strong, good in the air. His only
downfall was he was snatching at
chances but he was already working
hard to correct that and Duncan
Ferguson deserves a lot of credit
because Duncan would always stay
with him after training and give him
Wednesday’s 3-2 Champions League
home loss to Shakhtar Donetsk, and
an ominous landmark for Barcelona’s
made a bold statement by naming
three teenagers in his starting XI, and
once Real sealed the points via two
veterans, Ramos and Luka Modric, it
would look like a day better suited to
grown-ups.
Two of Koeman’s teens, Pedri and
Ansu Fati, were designated as the
closest attacking support to Lionel
Messi, and the preference for youth
meant a pair of €100 million-plus
men, Antoine Griezmann and
Ousmane Dembélé, were on the
bench. Sergino Dest, 19, a Koeman
signing, started at right back.
Dest’s nerves would be tested. But
it was from space left open by wiser
heads that Real sprang into an early
lead. Neither Sergio Busquets nor
Clément Lenglet kept guard
sufficiently when Karim Benzema
spotted Fede Valverde’s run. His
angled shot zipped past Neto.
A goal down, Barcelona’s
wonderteen immediately responded,
Ansu meeting a Jordi Alba cross in
‘The leap Dom is
blessed with is
incredible. In the
gym, he would jump
a full box above
everyone else’
finishing drills. These were for
finishing with his feet — the
heading ability you see, that is
more natural.
The leap Dom is blessed
with is incredible. In the gym,
when we did box jumps, he
would jump a full box above
everyone else. What has
much the way Messi has been An hour in, Ramos seized his
meeting Alba crosses for years, moment. It came from a set-piece, as
grateful for his rapid locomotion so often; it came from a Toni Kroos
down the left, and his precision with pass, as so many Ramos goals tend to;
a low, flat ball across the penalty box.
Ansu, a week shy of his 18th birthday,
simply needed to glance his shot
it involved a penalty, the captain’s
area of expertise. He had his jersey
tugged by Lenglet as he waited for
across Thibaut Courtois to become
the youngest goalscorer in the history
of this celebrated fixture.
Kroos’s cross, VAR inviting Martínez
Manuera, the referee, to make a
judgment. He found in Real’s favour.
There were still 37 minutes until Ramos converted and, as Koeman
half-time. The contest remained launched his benched forwards on to
lively, end-to-end. A superb tackle by the pitch to chase, Real found space
Casemiro in the Real area denied a with every counterattack, Neto
Messi surge. Courtois saved after two
more such surges, brilliantly when he
stretched across to the near post after
making two fine saves before Modric
settled the outcome.
Star man Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).
Messi daintily side-stepped Ramos.
Yellow cards: Barcelona Alba, Lenglet, Messi.
Ramos and Benzema had efforts Real Madrid Casemiro, Nacho.
kept out by Neto, and Dest made an Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Neto 6 — S Dest 7, G Piqué
intervention to thwart Casemiro. 5, C Lenglet 4, J Alba 7 (M Braithwaite, 86min) — S
Busquets 5 (O Dembélé 81), F De Jong 6 — Pedri 5
Dest, a US international, grew into (A Griezmann 80), L Messi 7, P Coutinho 5 — Ansu
the occasion, eager to participate in a 7 (Trincão 80). Subs not used R Araujo, C Aleñá, M
vibrant Barcelona start to the second Pjanic, R Puig, S Roberto, H Firpo Adames, I Peña
half. Ansu arrowed a shot across goal, a, A Tenas.
Real Madrid (4-3-3): T Courtois 7 — Nacho 5 (L
narrowly wide; Philippe Coutinho, Vazquez 42, 7), R Varane 7, S Ramos 8, F Mendy 7
meeting Ansu’s centre, nodded into — F Valverde 7 (L Modric 68, 7), Casemiro 7, T
the side-netting. On both occasions Kroos 7 —M Asensio 6 (Rodrygo 80), K Benzema 7,
Vinicius 6. Subs not used E Militão, Marcelo, A
Messi indicated a pass to the skipper Lunin, L Jovic, Isco, L López Andugar.
might have been a wiser choice. Referee M Manuera.

CATHERINE IVILL
improved is his timing and the
positions he is taking up in the box. I
loved the header he scored against
Liverpool because when you’re a kid
playing as a No 9, the first thing you’re
told is to get across the front post to let
a midfielder or wide player arrive
behind you, and you can fall into the
trap of thinking you have to do that
every time.
Sometimes, especially when you’re
alone in the box, you need to be more
patient and read the situation, antici-
pate where the ball might be coming.
For that goal, Dominic waited which
gave Lucas Digne the opportunity to
float his cross. It was a brilliant
delivery. That floated one is perfect
for a player like Calvert-Lewin who if
they get a run on the defender will
SUNDAY IN 60 SECONDS TODAY’S PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES AT A GLANCE
Southampton v Everton
Southampton will be on a
high after their comeback
draw away to Chelsea last
weekend. They will be
without the on-loan
winger Theo Walcott, who
is ineligible against his
parent club. High-flying
Everton hope that James
Rodríguez is available
after picking up a knock in
last weekend’s full-
bloodied Merseyside
derby. Southampton have
kept more Premier
League clean sheets (13)
against Everton than any
other side, ten of which
have been at home. The
striker Dominic Calvert-
Lewin has scored in all of
Everton’s five league
games this season, one
behind Sergio Agüero’s
Premier League record of
The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 9
ADAM FRADGLEY/AMA
leave them with no chance. Andy — though it should have been a red
Carroll — and Duncan himself — were card.
others who wanted the ball floated James Rodríguez has been fantastic
rather than whipped in, so they could — more physically robust than I
use their power and leap and Calvert- expected. It’s interesting Ancelotti
Lewin is a bit of a throwback. Ancel- isn’t using him at No 10, but playing
otti has stopped him making those him off the right. What that allows is
silly runs chasing down the full backs James to be on the half-turn when
and wasting energy. Now he saves receiving the ball, meaning the game
that energy for the big moments. is there in front of him and he can face
For England, he can become an goal, come in on his left foot, run with
important member of the squad and the ball or play a through pass. He’ll
it’s great seeing him finally recognised find opponents trying to get tighter to
at international level. I’ve always him — but it might create more space
thought young lads from the north for the right back to get outside him or
have to work harder to get their Calvert-Lewin to run in behind.
England opportunities than boys The top four is doable. It will be
from the big southern clubs. I felt difficult because there are seven or
Calvert-Lewin deserved his chance eight teams competing for those spots
before Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham. and some big clubs will have to miss
Michael Keane is another making out but top four has to be the target,
real progress under Ancelotti. The given Everton’s start. If they can get to
protection from Allan helps, as does January still in the frame and let Dowling, right, with West Brom’s new £15 million centre forward Grant
having players in front who are better Ancelotti bring in another couple of
‘We sign players who
in possession. Before, you would see players, they will have a great chance.
Michael stepping out of defence and Their biggest issue is squad depth.
overrunning the ball or leaving In Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bernard they
himself in a position where he had to have a couple of players who can
try and chip it over the right back to
the left winger’s head. Small details
like that, he has cleaned up. Ben
Godfrey could prove another great
come off the bench to provide some-
thing different but they need one or
two more; players who don’t have to
be world-beaters but who can slot
show us character’
Ancelotti signing — I’ve a feeling he straight into the team without a major
and Michael could emerge as
Everton’s centre-back partnership for
drop in quality if there are injuries.
They need a real back up for Allan and
West Brom’s sporting being promoted, or Aston Villa, who
invested £143 million after going up in
a number of years. another striking option for games director reveals secrets 2019. West Brom’s net spend is about
One issue, of course, is the where the opposition is equipped to £27 million and their record signing
mistakes of Jordan Pickford. I’m sure deal with Calvert-Lewin’s threat. of operating with top remains Salomón Rondón, bought
Jordan knows, himself, that he needs
to be much harder to beat. I still
This weekend James is injured and
Richarlison is suspended, so strength
flight’s smallest budget for £15.3 million in 2015.
On the penultimate day of the
believe his attributes make him both in depth will be tested against a window, Dowling captured Karlan
Everton and England’s best option competitive Southampton team. But, Jonathan Northcroft Grant, 23, from Huddersfield Town
and his errors aren’t massive, as we saw against Liverpool, this is an for £14.85 million but structured the
technical ones — they are down to the Everton that can handle challenges. After an hour of interviewing Luke deal so the fee is spread across the six
mental side of things. Get a settled XI, go on a run and you Dowling he has had ten missed calls years of his contract. An up-and-
The one little bit of advice I’d give build a mentality where you go into and countless messages, and as we coming striker for £2.47 million a
Jordan is just calm yourself down. every game thinking you’ll win. As keep talking, notification alerts keep season — that kind of prudence will
Take some time. With him, everything Leicester once showed, that can take a chiming on his phone. Ding. Ding. look ingenious if they avoid the drop.
seems to be on a knife-edge, even to team a long, long way. Ding. Like a metronome, set to the A youth full back at Tottenham
the point that when he’s kicking it breakneck tempo of the football Hotspur, Dowling had two years at
long it looks like he’s kicking it as hard world. Reading before stints in non-League
as he can — there was an instance, Welcome to the life of a Premier with Kingstonian, Hampton &
versus Liverpool, where he kicked it League sporting director. The Richmond Borough and Walton
and nearly fell over afterwards. transfer window may have finally Casuals, whom he managed. From
He has to deal with the fallout over shut on October 5 but the work there, he became a scout at AFC
Virgil van Dijk’s injury. I think it was
just unfortunate — Jordan got his ON TV TODAY continues, and as strategist for newly
promoted West Bromwich Albion
Wimbledon and Crystal Palace, then
head of recruitment at Portsmouth
positioning wrong and raced out Southampton v Everton there is plenty that Dowling needs to and Blackburn Rovers.
quickly to try and block the shot, Sky Sports Main Event, affect. Training ground, travel, His knowledge of the different
catching Van Dijk. It looked accidental 2pm academy, nutrition, communication levels and people’s potential to rise
with fans, support for manager contributed to the shift in thinking he
Slaven Bilic — he wants to be brought about at West Brom at the
progressing it all. end of 2018-19, after they lost in the
“Something I learnt at Watford is
keep making small improvements.
Championship play-off semi-finals.
“We were relegated the previous
Let the players see something season with an experienced team:
finding the net in each of by. The teams have drawn Arsenal v Leicester City different: an office change, a little Ben Foster, Craig Dawson, Jonny
his side’s first six games of seven of their ten Premier There has been much talk upgrade in the gym, new furniture in Evans, Chris Brunt, Gareth McAuley,
a campaign. League meetings, with about a midfielder not the canteen. Make slight differences Gareth Barry . . . these were older
6 Sky Sports Premier the past three fixtures playing for Arsenal this because we don’t want them to just players who helped give this club
League, 2pm ending 1-1. Newcastle weekend, the ostracized be comfortable. We want them to eight years on the spin in the Premier
summer signing Callum Mesut Özil, but Thomas know we’re always looking to make League but ultimately they got
Wolverhampton W v Wilson, who has four Partey, inset, is one who things better,” he says. relegated.
Newcastle United goals and one assist in could make a first Premier At Watford, whom he joined in “Darren Moore [then the manager]
Wolverhampton five league games for the League start for the club. 2014, Dowling was one of Europe’s wanted to keep the majority together,
Wanderers will be club, can become the first Willian and Dani Ceballos youngest sporting directors and which we did. We collected a few
assessing several players, player to score in will have fitness tests. helped to plot promotion, then three loans, had a go but fell short again.
according to their head each of their Jamie Vardy will also be years of survival in the top flight. That was when we reached a point
coach, Nuno Espírito opening three assessed after missing Aged 42, he took his present post in where I wanted to appoint a
Santo. Newcastle away matches in a Leicester City’s past two 2018 after a brief stint at Nottingham manager, reduce the age of the squad
United will test Premier League games. Arsenal are Forest and hopes his previous and get in some younger, hungry
the season. unbeaten in their past 27 experience will help West Brom to players.”
goalkeeper 6 Sky Sports home matches against stay up — despite having the Premier Bilic got the dugout gig in June
Karl Darlow, Premier today’s opponents. League’s smallest budget. “I have to 2019, his charisma and experience of
who was League, Indeed, Mikel Arteta’s side overachieve, Slaven has to managing Croatia, Besiktas and West
injured against 4.30pm have not lost at home in overachieve and the players have to Ham United convincing Dowling he
Manchester the league in 2020, while overachieve,” he says. “If nobody was the man. Poster boy for the new
United last Arsenal have not suffered ever overachieved, every league table breed of signings was Semi Ajayi, who
weekend. Mark a home league defeat in would just be what the bookies had been relegated to League One
Gillespie, a July October for 18 years, a run predicted.” with Rotherham. Ajayi had hidden
signing from of 32 matches. The key is recruitment. West Brom pedigree — three games on the bench
Motherwell, stands 6 Sky Box Office, 7.15pm have taken a different route to Leeds at Arsenal in the Premier League —
United, who spent £96 million after Continued on page 10 →
10 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Football
‘I sometimes feel
there’s a bit of
snobbery. We’ve
signed players
from Rotherham
and Wigan’
→ Continued from page 9
League — and his career had faltered
after making a wrong move, to
Cardiff City. Dowling and the scouting
team he had appointed saw Ajayi’s
physique, determination and ability
on the ball, underneath the rawness.
The 26-year-old arrived for
£1.5 million. Darnell Furlong
(£1.5 million from Queens Park
Rangers) and Romaine Sawyers
(£2.9 million from Brentford) were
similar buys. All three played big
roles in the promotion and have not
looked out of place this season.
For a club careful with their
budget under the ownership of
Chinese investor Lai Guochuan, loan
deals present a valuable see-before-
buy opportunity. They also allowed
West Brom to sell themselves to rising
talent — such as Grady Diangana, who
signed after a successful loan spell
despite being in demand elsewhere.
Callum Robinson and Matheus
Pereira are others who have turned
loans into permanent moves.
“With players, too many people
look at what they can’t do whereas I
want my scouts to look at what
they’ve got. If their weaknesses are
things we can improve on, we’ve got
PROMOTED CLUBS NET SPEND IN
SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW
Leeds United
£96.4m
West Bromwich Albion
£27m
Fulham
£21.5m
half a chance. Sometimes it’s about
putting people in a better
environment, alongside better
players,” Dowling says.
“Semi has shown that. We believe
we have another in Cédric Kipré, who
we got from Wigan for £800,000.
We’ll make this boy into a player. Put
Kipré in a squad with better
footballers, give him better nutrition,
put him in hotels before games, get
him to Newcastle on a flight instead
of a five-hour road journey — it might
just get that extra 3 per cent from
him, and you don’t know what that 3
per cent brings.
“I sometimes feel there’s a bit of
snobbery,” Dowling, who himself
commutes every day from Berkshire,
says. “We’ve signed players from
Rotherham and Wigan. If they were
from Everton under-23s and
Manchester United under-23s, they’d
be more appealing to many clubs, I
believe, but when you play for
Rotherham or Wigan you develop
character. And when you scout them
in that environment, playing in front
of 8,000, 9,000 — not big crowds —
you see who can motivate
themselves.
“These are West Brom signings.
West Brom have never been a club to
spend £30 million on a player. This is
a hard-working area where families
go without a holiday so Dad can
afford his season ticket. It’s finding
players who reflect that passion.
Pereira [a Brazilian from Sporting
Lisbon] might not be from here but
his attitude reflects the area.”
There was no family holiday this
year either for Dowling, his wife
Patricia and 12-year-old Liberty.
“Would I like a holiday? Do I need
one? Probably. But I’ll be fine,”
Dowling says. “It’s still the best job. I
never wake up on a Monday morning
and think, ‘Oh, work . . .’ ”
TOMORROW
Brighton v West Bromwich Albion
TV: Sky Sports Box Office, 5.30pm
Radio: talkSPORT 2
Jonathan
Northcroft
Arsenal’s persistence with
playing out from the back is
too risky for rewards on offer
W
e’ve seen it before and
it happened again
versus Rapid Vienna:
Arsenal, fiddling with
the football in their box
after taking a goal kick
short, the opposition
stealing it to score.
The fascination, watching
Thursday’s Europa League game, lay
not in any consequences provoked by
the mishap — Arsenal won, after all —
but in how discordant it seemed in
the context of other things
happening at the London club.
Overall, the week was another
where it moved further from old
Wenger-ian aestheticism in the
direction of the hardnosed efficiency
Mikel Arteta has brought. The
impressive Arteta was single-minded
enough to cut Mesut Özil from
Arsenal’s 25-man Premier League
squad. So why, under the eye of such
a pragmatist, were Arsenal doing
what is best described by a Scottish
phrase, fannying around at the back.
Clearly, attempting to thread the
ball from your goalkeeper all the way
up to the opposite penalty area is
part of a wider commitment to a
passing game. But from goal kicks? A
clutch of teams were trying it a year
ago after a rule change allowed
players to receive from goal kicks in
their own area but some abandoned
it, others used it more sparingly —
even Manchester City after coming a
cropper at Norwich City.
The Gunners are persisting,
though. It is testing for their former
players. Paul Merson described it as
like going to Woburn Safari Park and
“walking into the lion’s cage with a
lorry load of steaks” and when Bernd
Leno knocks it five yards to David
Luiz’s feet, you feel Arsenal have
gone as far as to strip off, strap the
meat to their naked body and run
into the middle of the pride.
As a middle-aged football writer
you should always check yourself in
case of codger-ness. Nobody needs
you to become a “jumpers for
goalposts” type à la Ron Manager on
The Fast Show, all because you have
failed to grasp developments.
But sometimes your instinctive
traditionalism is right. VAR is just
crap. And with the box-fannying I’m
trying my best to understand Arteta
— but think I’m on Merson’s side.
It comes down to risk-reward.
Every action a competitor takes in a
sport that entails playing directly
against an opponent involves this
knife-edge equation. Playing out from
goal kicks, where you take it as far as
to begin the passing chain in your
box, turns on its head the
conventional view of risk-reward
when a team has possession deep,
summed up by something games
teachers have been telling British
kids for many decades — you should
“clear your lines”.
That prioritises risk, in the sense
your prime objective is to minimise it
by getting the ball as far away from
danger — your own goal — as possible.
The Arsenal approach prioritises
reward by focusing on the potential
benefits of playing the ball around in
a dangerous zone. It is liable,
especially in the age of high-pressing,
to draw opponents on to you and if
you can circulate possession smartly
enough, you will catch them out of
shape and can counterattack. Given
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one
of the best scorers, on the fast break,
in football this logic melds with
Arsenal’s personnel.
The tactic predates Arteta. Unai
Emery loved it. And it has brought
several successes, notably in last
season’s FA Cup semi-final victory
over Manchester City, but it feels like
it has caused just as many problems.
In September, Liverpool’s slavering
lions polished off Arteta’s walking
dinners at Anfield, their pressing too
overwhelming and fierce for Arsenal
to get out of their defensive third.
What makes the situation so
interesting is Arteta himself. Calls like
his one to jettison Özil demonstrate
the lack of romance or wooliness in
his thinking. He was willing to take
the hit that was bound to come, given
the German’s talent and popularity,
because he believes the team comes
first. And, tactically, his style is based
on creating outcomes rather than
spectacle — his Arsenal play some
brilliant football but in the opposition
half it is sharp, fast and calculated. He
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 11

Rod Liddle
So who said well-bred
Bamford wouldn’t cut
it in top tier? Well, I
‘Arteta has been
have an admission...
so impressive in Patrick Bamford for England, then?
his clarity of You won’t see much better finishing
thought, there will than the three goals in 19 minutes he
scored for Leeds United against Aston
be a well-honed plan’ Villa on Friday. He now has six goals
in Leeds’ first six league matches this
season — only Eric Cantona in 1992-93
is not wedded to possession. In that has scored as many goals for the club
FA Cup victory, Manchester City had at this stage of a Premier League
71 per cent of the ball. campaign.
So the fact he retained and is still And to think that only a few
persisting with what seemed one of months ago there were morons,
the many follies of the Emery era is grade-A dingbats, suggesting that the
fascinating. What has he seen? What well-bred young chap couldn’t cut it
is he building towards? He has been in the top tier and that Leeds would
so impressive in his clarity of thought be well advised to buy a striker,
since taking over that there will be a pronto. Yes, reader, I was among that
well-honed plan. number. As predictions go, it seems a
He has, to be fair, improved little wide of the mark now.
Arsenal’s use of the tactic — going to a But then looking at Bamford’s
back three and giving important roles track record it appeared, back in
to Kieran Tierney and Héctor Bellerín June, a pretty safe bet: three loan
helps when circulating possession. spells, at Burnley, Norwich City and
Gabriel, the new Brazilian centre Crystal Palace yielded not a single
back, is very comfortable on the ball Premier League goal and there were
and can communicate with Luiz in darkening questions about his
his native language. attitude.
The addition of Thomas Partey will He terminated his loan at Palace
enhance things too. On his full debut because he wasn’t getting enough
in Vienna, Partey demonstrated just game time, to some surprise from
how assured and accomplished a both the Nigels and his parent club,
midfielder he is. The mishap Chelsea.
occurred when Partey came deep At Turf Moor he made an enemy of
into the box and Luiz tried to give Sean Dyche, which I would venture
him the ball only to be intercepted, suggests less wisdom than one might
but found with the right pass, Partey expect from a footballer with an
could certainly be trusted not to
cough possession up.
unusually high crop of GCSEs and A
Levels (and who had been offered a
Maybe the “Arteta revolution” scholarship to Harvard).
will include making playing out at Evidence of his ability rests
goal kicks a threat to the opposition entirely in the Championship, where
rather than Arsenal themselves. he was just about adequately lethal in
I’m quite prepared to have my two spells at Middlesbrough and his
eyes opened. It will interesting to last two seasons at Leeds United,
watch how it unfolds, Arteta’s where he netted 26 times from 72
high stakes — or steaks — bet. appearances, which is pretty good
going.
But the doubts that he could cut it
at the top remained and clearly irked
season flourishes might be sustained.
On the issue of England, incidentally,
Bamford is just about available,
probably. He was pursued with a
certain eagerness by the former
Ireland manager Mick McCarthy,
under Mick’s admirable and inclusive
policy of bestowing Irish eligibility
upon anyone who knows anyone
who once went to see Riverdance, or
quite liked the Corrs.
But Bamford, with his customary
aloofness, has refused to commit and
McCarthy has seemingly given up the
chase. Bamford has already been
capped by England at under-18, 19
and 21 levels.
He has spoken before about how
he can sometimes feel a little
estranged from his fellow
professionals on account of his
provenance: he can read, and he
went to public school. These are not
qualities universally admired in the
football world — indeed one opposing
player, Ryan Tunnicliffe, received
punishment from the FA for referring
to Bamford as a “sausage boy”, a
tweet the FA deemed “aggravated
misconduct by reference to sexual
orientation”. Ryan didn’t go to
public school. I don’t know if he can
read.
‘Not all Leeds fans
were convinced by
Paddy last season,
citing a profligacy
in front of goal’
But I wonder if that estrangement
is a possible explanation for his
difficulties, his peripatetic
restlessness — and that perhaps in
Bielsa he has found a manager who

LETTERS David Walsh struck a

chord with me over
champions were . . .
Denmark? England,
maligning the play-offs
and claiming that
both Bamford and his manager, the
excellent Marcelo Bielsa. In July,
understands a little better Bamford’s
rather continental strengths.

TO THE Lester Piggott. For

some years I have
presumably a top-tier
team, have yet to
Exeter Chiefs should
be given the title for
hearing a talkSPORT discussion
entitled “Is Bamford good enough for
(Incidentally, Bamford can speak
Spanish rather more fluently than his

EDITOR linked the greatest

jockey with my Lester
Piggott theory of
reach even the final of
that tournament.
Steve Paterson,
being the best team
over the season is an
interesting read.
the Premier League?” the striker, 27,
tweeted wearily: “And so it starts . . .”
And yet not all Leeds fans were quite
manager can speak English.) Further,
the current incarnation of Leeds is a
fast and neat counterattacking team,
Send your letters to: sport. That is, we Felixstowe What makes it more convinced by Paddy last season, which again plays to Bamford’s
The Sports Editor, should be satisfied interesting is that had citing a certain profligacy in front of strengths. I hope, then, that he’s
The Sunday Times, with sporting What a farcical end to the same rule as the goal, his 16 goals coming from 45 found his feet. It is sometimes very
1 London Bridge St greatness and not seek the Heineken one he is suggesting starts. uplifting to be proven completely
London, SE1 9GF to make the hero Champions Cup final. been in place in the So, will the real Patrick Bamford wrong.
email: sportletters anything other than a How many times does Championship ten stand up, please? Is his prowess so far I was also proven wrong last
@sunday-times.co.uk sporting one. After all, the referee have to ask years ago, Exeter this season merely a run of luck, a season about Sheffield United — but
Lester had some faults. for the clock to be would not have been flash in the pan? Or is he the real perhaps I was just ahead of the curve
Thanks for the Lester corrected and it still promoted at the deal? a little. A little under a year ago,
reference and happy wasn’t and Mr Owens expense of Bristol and He is not quite the top scorer in the when the Blades were somewhere
birthday to him on spends time at the end who knows what top tier – that would be the around sixth place in the table, I
November 5 too. trying to find out if it is would have happened irrepressible and very likeable Son suggested that they would be a
Peter Finburg, time for the final then? Heung-min, followed by Dominic decent outside bet for relegation
via email whistle. The TMO’s Ben Martin, Calvert-Lewin (at time of writing), (stressing, of course, “outside”). This
excuse was Rickmansworth which is of course no disgrace. was based upon their failure to create
A little reminder to inadequate for any But there was a beauty and a chances, their stubborn refusal to
David Walsh, who rugby fixture let alone Brilliant piece by Steve panache in his performance on have shots on goal.
asserts that Denmark a cup final. Parish on Project Big Friday evening, as well as a sturdy To which, this season, you might
are a “second-tier” John Stevens, Picture last weekend. I confidence in his own ability. add a new laxity at the back: few
team. Has he Shoreham-by-Sea couldn’t agree more. Watching Bamford and Villa’s Jack teams have had more shots on target
conveniently forgotten Paul Smith, Grealish you suddenly got a glimpse against them than Chris Wilder’s
that the 1992 European Stuart Barnes’s article via email of what an England forward line admirable men. I hope, again, that I
might look like, if only these early- am wrong.
12 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Rugby Union Gallagher Premiership final
19 13
RYAN HISCOTT/JMP
EXETER WASPS
CHIEFS
Henry Slade holds
off the challenge of
Jacob Umaga to
score Exeter’s try at
Twickenham
SIMMONDS
STEPHEN
JONES
DELIVERS AT
E
Rugby Correspondent
Twickenham
xeter Chiefs became the
fourth English club to win
the Champions Cup-Pre-
THE DOUBLE
miership double, a magnifi-
cent achievement, the end
of the beginning of their rise
from Devon mud to the club
sporting stratosphere. And
along the way they have
illustrated on and off the
field what club rugby has always been
about, and how beautifully it can be
played.
Joe Simmonds, who became the
Baxter would Director of rugby is guess if someone asked me if I
wanted to play guitar with Bruce
more suited to club Springsteen I would then have been
do decent job than cut and thrust of
international game
linked with the job. (By the way, right
here and now, yes.)
There is one thing which would be
for England massively in favour of a Baxter
candidature. Along with Mark McCall
of Saracens, he is way ahead of the
but his bond Stephen Jones
Rob Baxter was linked with the
contenders for the national job, and
frankly the pair are the best two
with Exeter is
England head coaching post last coaches outside the international
weekend. He was linked with it game anywhere in the world at
because Tony Rowe, his boss at present.
unbreakable Exeter Chiefs, idly mused that at
some stage Baxter may consider it.
The 49-year-old Exeter director of
They also have in common that
they would want to take all their
grooved-in coaching group with
rugby was linked with the position them, rather than use the Eddie Jones
again in midweek when he was asked random snatch technique of putting a
if he fancied a crack at it. “Right here group together; also that they have a
and now, no.” Another report stated, magnificent record for developing
therefore, that he had “played down talent as well as for recruiting it, and
the link”. for taking the whole thing forward
So all a bit tenuous, these links. I season after season, ahead of the
youngest captain ever to hoist the
trophy itself, is now in the 30s in
terms of successive successful kicks,
he and his men can now celebrate as
riotously as Covid restrictions will
allow, because they have won the lot,
done the job. Goodnight. They had
both trophies in their dressing room
at ghostly Twickenham, so that it
could all sink in.
And yet never in their surge, surely,
did they come so close to slipping as in
the 74th minute. This match was
played in brutal conditions of strong
winds and driving rain, but it was not
the weather that hampered Exeter as
much as a wonderful performance by
the young and Covid-stricken Wasps.
They kept on coming. Indeed, after
74 minutes, when they trailed only
16-13, they delivered a massive driving
maul from a line-out deep into the last
ten minutes, and it looked all over a
pack. And yet the inclination of both
at present is not to touch it with a
bargepole.
Baxter is a clever, engaging,
reserved and quietly spoken man,
with no words to waste on insults and
the “pre-match war of words” in the
vast, caterwauling, sometimes bogus,
faintly glorious and heroic but
overblown scene that international
rugby has become.
To choose Baxter in that
environment, great coach though he
is, and to extend the rock metaphor,
would be the equivalent of putting
Chopin in Motörhead.
There is not the slightest doubt
that he would be good enough to do
it. It is guaranteed that he would take
his grace with him — you cannot see
him engaged in verbals with other
coaches, cannot see him drafting
unknown kids.
Baxter, who captained Exeter for
try as their momentum continued.
But Exeter infringed, probably just in
time for it not to be a try or a penalty
try.
But now Wasps had a momentous
call to make – do they go for the kicka-
ble penalty to level the game with less
than six minutes remaining, or do
they use what was a rare attacking
position to go for the try.
In favour of going for the score and
a win, was the fact that they had just
driven Exeter over ten metres back.
But against the brave notion was the
fact that young Gabriel Oghre, the
richly promising hooker, had already
made a hash of a line-out throw and
the Wasps’ line-out as a whole had
had a poor day.
Oghre threw the ball in crooked,
poor man. Wasps never even man-
aged to lift their jumper, Jonny Gray
poached it and Exeter went down the
ten of his 14 years as a player before
he took over the coaching reins in
2009, has all the wisdom of the years,
the greybeard knowledge, and yet the
ability to grasp that the modern game
moves on by the month. He would
have just the right combination of the
stern and the emotional to create a
culture from whatever he finds in his
surroundings.
There is no question that he and
Exeter have been the saviour of this
blighted season. Premiership Rugby’s
bungling and also their cruel
imposition of a bonkers fixture list
would have seemed even more grim
if no one had elevated the whole
thing to a position above an art form,
and to a point where the sport
became so compelling. Exeter have
done that — and so too have Wasps.
It was also possible on the day of
the Heineken Champions Cup final in
Bristol to feel totally bereft that there

the outstanding Dan Robson of
HOW THEY RATED Wasps is not named in the England
squad this week then you can take it
EXETER CHIEFS from me that it has to be a secretarial
15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
6
8
error. Surely.
Wasps had already repelled those
13 Henry Slade 9 trademark Exeter drives early on, in
opening passages of play in which the
12 Ollie Devoto 7
quality and the handling belied the
11 Olly Woodburn 8
horrendous conditions. Jimmy Gop-
10 Joe Simmonds 8 perth kicked a penalty for Wasps
9 Jack Maunder 6 which appeared to indicate that for all
8 Sam Simmonds 6 their problems with the virus all week,
Wasps had come to compete.
7 Jannes Kirsten 6
It was Slade who calmed any Exeter
6 Dave Ewers 7
nerves, however. He came back
5 Jonny Hill 7 against the grain in an attack and
4 Sam Skinner 7 when he looked up, he found that all
3 Harry Williams 7 the opponents on the Wasps’
defensive line were forwards, Slade
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 7
ghosted his way over quite beautifully
1 Alec Hepburn 6 and Simmonds kicked the
conversion.
WASPS
Wasps needed a response, and it
15 Matteo Minozzi 5
came. Willis had already stopped two
14 Zach Kibirige 6 mauls and then he appeared twice in a
13 Juan de Jongh 7 forward drive. Robson sniped to the
12 Jimmy Gopperth 7 right at first, then after the recycle he
used Juan de Jongh as a foil and fed
11 Josh Bassett 7
Jacob Umaga, who played with rich
10 Jacob Umaga 8
promise.
9 Dan Robson 9 Umaga went carving through,
8 Tom Willis 7 evaded Stuart Hogg and scored at the
7 Thomas Young 8 posts and all-in-all, Wasps were proba-
bly unfortunate going into half-time
6 Jack Willis 9
13-10 down — Simmonds kicked two
5 Will Rowlands 7 penalties, in a series of calls by the ref-
4 Joe Launchbury 9 eree which were to leave Wasps quite
3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen 7 significantly miffed in the evening
2 Tommy Taylor 7 after the game.
It was still 13-10 well into the final
1 Tom West 6
quarter.
By this time, Lima Sopoaga, back
from injury, was on the field. He made
other end in style, and soon after- an astonishing play after Simmonds
wards, Simmonds kicked another
penalty to take the title.
had kicked for touch. The All Black
crouched over the sideline so that he
Wasps went in with five players could run back in field and jump to
missing, four from their pack and catch the ball before it went out. Not
with yet another indication of the rich only did he succeed, but he won a pen-
promise in their squad that they did alty at the next ruck, Umaga kicked
so well – indeed, they became the first the ball and it was 13-13.
team for around two years to find the Simmonds kept the run going with
key to stopping the normally-irresisti- another penalty and then came the
ble Exeter forward drive, which Great Dilemma, the great call, and the
brings hordes of tries. crooked throw.
But yesterday Joe Launchbury, Jack The brutality of the season is such
Willis and Thomas Young were stag- that Exeter have to come back out to
gering in the defensive maul, and they defend their title in three weeks’ time
forced Exeter to endure some in the new season.
hairy moments before the celebra- This must never happen again, the
tions. fixture list is sheer lunacy. But no
Simmonds and Henry Slade in mid- doubt the Chiefs will find a way to
field kept their composure superbly, defend their title in the style that they
Slade has ended the season as clearly won it. And on the long march, they
the most gifted back in England, and may well have Wasps again for com-
yet in terms of England contention, if pany.
were no fans there to enjoy it but also Baxter has spent more
to feel some sense of occasion
because of the majesty and the
than 20 years at Exeter
as player and coach
beauty of the drama and the
execution of Exeter’s victory. There
was also talk that to move to the
national job would take Baxter out of
his comfort zone. And what comfort
zone would that be?
Life as a director of rugby in the
Premiership and the Champions Cup
is as far removed from a comfortable
existence as it is possible to be. Life
thunders along, the Saturday
imperative is always hovering
around, so too highly competitive
clubs trying to cut you down.
And the balance sheet is always an
issue. And my goodness, this season
in the time of Covid-19, the financial
situation is a herd of elephants in the
room.
You sense that Baxter will be with
Exeter for the foreseeable future.
Stuart Barnes
Despite the rain, and shortage of
tries, this was a brilliant final
between two intelligent sides
It was a night when your worst
enemy’s dog would be welcome at
your hearth. The wind swirled and
the rain made the field shimmer
green. Wasps, without a quartet of
key players, were forced to take on
the territorial kings of Europe.
Yet at half-time, Wasps were only
three points adrift. To be in
contention was a triumph of sorts
for the underdogs. To see Henry
Slade slash his way between the
Covid-replacement duo of Tom
West and Tom Willis was testimony
to an Exeter with more to their
game than the bludgeon of their
close-range driving game.
Which was just as well. Joe
Launchbury led the defence,
smuggling through the first
concerted lineout drive to claim a
crucial turnover. This was a
magnificent moment of real rugby
intelligence. It summed up a game
deprived of Wasps’ swagger by the
conditions. But as a game there was
a huge amount to admire. The bits
and pieces were a sequence of
small excellency.
Indeed, this was infinitely better
than last week’s exciting but
nervous occasion in Bristol. Exeter
did not need sheeting rain to spill
passes last Saturday. There was a
sublime score for Jacob Umaga that
eclipsed even Slade’s try. Instead of
props he propelled his way part
Stuart Hogg.
Of all the players in the first half,
Umaga epitomised what was so
good about the game. He is a runner
and has shredded defences all
season, but conditions demanded a
kicking game. And how well he
kicked. Spiralling the ball into the
soaked sky, towering cross-kicks
that pinned Exeter back. He was the
picture of patient maturity. When
his chance came he took it.
That is how to play the game.
Exeter were collectively excellent
in their tactical approach. Pop
passes were at a premium in their
own half. They were more suited
There is no evidence that he and his
coaching colleagues cannot carry on
the progress. Would he enjoy the
England post as much as he revels in
life at Exeter? Highly improbable.
Would his results be decent? Almost
definitely. To be an outstanding
coach in one environment cannot
preclude you from being outstanding
in another.
Yet something makes me doubt
that he will ever move to
Twickenham. To do so would be to
forgo too many of his principles and
proven practices. Those principles
have illuminated this season, taken
his club to the final in the Champions
Cup and Premiership. At present, he
is linked with Exeter — not with
ephemeral words of speculation, but
with unbreakable bonds.
Baxter and his troops did more
than dominate this season. They
saved it.
The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 13
than Wasps to the conditions. super-Mare’s finest donkeys but the
Clever in the way that we expect accuracy and pressure applied
them to be. from the first minute onwards was
In the 46th minute, Jack Willis the essence of game plan A. Jack
produced what was probably a try- Maunder was good, Dan Robson
saving turnover a few metres from better still. The way he handled
his own line. The European Exeter’s intensity and the bar of
champions were beginning to exert soap that passed for a ball marks
a degree of territorial control as he him as a potential England starter.
produced a wonderful piece of The blokes beneath the ball did
defiant skill. not do badly either.
It was the first time that he had Like last week it was close; level
been given a sniff of ball at the at the hour mark. Good finals need
breakdown. These details hint at tension. But the English version
the quality of the game. The tactical was more a case of which team
plan was magnificently could win it, than who would lose
manipulated. What stood out was it. Racing 92 had become all too
not so much the Willis turnover as adept at blowing winning positions.
much as Exeter’s ability to Willis’s wondrous 46th-minute
neutralise him. Being more suited penalty won at the turnover was
to the sodden conditions is one nullified as Exeter ground a penalty
thing, managing them quite from him at the tackle zone. With 14
another. minutes left the Devon side booted
Where else did this game excel? their way into a three-point lead.
The kick and chase. Box-kicking Finals have to be in the balance,
may bore the hind legs off Weston- come the final quarter. Last week’s
was — so too, yesterday’s.
As for dead-ball skill, Slade came
‘This match was up with one of those penalties that
infinitely better than no one in the world hits with more
venomous accuracy. It was
last week’s exciting reminiscent of the pin-point kick
but nervous that led to the match-winning semi-
final score against Saracens back in
occasion in Bristol’ 2017. It was another bejewelled
instance of brilliance.
But Wasps defied the inevitable.
HOW DID
From a penalty of their own,
Umaga drilled a 40-metre kick into
Exeter’s 22. Putting the pressure on
the European champions. Exeter
WALES DO?
collapsed the maul and Wasps had
the guts to go for the corner and the
jugular. Precision deserted Wasps.
A rare instance of not handling
pressure.
A late Joe Simmonds penalty.
Another trophy for Exeter. There
For a full report of last night’s was no tryline siege at Twickenham
international against France, but there was a far better game of
rugby. Even the rain could not ruin
see our smartphone edition or this game of rugby. Dreadful
THESUNDAYTIMES.CO.UK/SPORT conditions but the weather could
not overwhelm two fine sides.
BARBARIANS PLAYERS SHOWN DRINKING IN PUB
Footage has emerged protocols. Robshaw,
of a number of Sean Maitland,
Barbarians players, Jackson Wray, Joel
including the former Kpoku, Fergus
England captain Chris McFadden and Manu
Robshaw, drinking Vunipola are among
alcohol in a London the group who appear
pub. to be playing a
The video, which is drinking game at what
on social media, is is believed to be a pub
from one of the two in Mayfair.
nights out that has A Rugby Football
forced the Union investigation
cancellation of today’s into the players’
fixture between misconduct is
England and the ongoing with a view to
Barbarians at bringing disrepute Robshaw and others
Twickenham for a charges against any seemed to be playing
breach of coronavirus wrongdoing. drinking games
14 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Rugby Union
TEST-MATCH RUGBY...
BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT
Stephen Jones
The voice of rugby
Barbarians farce at least reduces an
unforgiving international schedule
H
ere’s the news from last sea-
son’s Guinness Six Nations:
Ireland’s bonus-point win
over Italy in Dublin yester-
day put them at the top of
the table, with the climax to
the tournament to come on
Saturday — still in its origi-
nal form but more than six months
late — when England play against Italy
in Rome, Ireland are away to France
and Wales and Scotland play in
Llanelli.
England are favourites for the title
and the trophy. If they win in Rome
with a bonus point then either France
or Ireland need a bonus-point win to
overhaul them. That is not impossible
as the game in Paris is likely to be fast
and loose with plenty of tries.
Then, onwards into the blizzard of
more Tests. The next six weeks in
European rugby would normally con-
stitute a cavernous open goal for crit-
ics who despair at the gross devalua-
tion of the currency of international
matches by their monotonous repeti-
tion and are dismissive of the bla-
tantly fake concern trotted out by all
governing bodies for the welfare of
the players.
On this occasion, at the start of a
torrent of Tests in the men’s and
women’s game, I am going to pass,
like Harry Kane blazing wide from six
yards. One of the ghastliest effects of
Heat from
Dombrandt
will stop
Vunipola
coasting
Harlequins’ No 8 has the
skills to force Vunipola,
right, to up his game
coronavirus in sport is that the players
have to appear in a dangerous num-
ber of club and international games as
television money is the only income
stream still turned on.
The impending men’s and
women’s Tests fall into certain
categories:
6 Deciding games in the 2020 Six
Nations, with England, France and
Ireland in contention as of yesterday
morning and England a shoo-in for
the women’s tournament.
6 Friendly games, for which there is
no excuse whatsoever apart from TV
dosh — Scotland v Georgia and France
v Wales.
6 Games in the new autumn series,
which may or may not strike us as a
valid event, via Amazon Prime and
may or may not have an authentic Test
feel. As yet we just do not know.
6 The Italy v Scotland women’s
match, which counts, resoundingly,
in the Six Nations and also a key quali-
fier for next year’s World Cup. At least
that will be eyeballs out.
So off we go. With what fanfare? One
music magazine that listed great fan-
fares in order came up with The
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by
Handel; another favourite when por-
tentous is needed is Fanfare for the
Common Man by Aaron Copland.
Stuart Barnes
Billy Vunipola would have liked to be
selected at No 8 for this afternoon’s
postponed game against the
Barbarians. The 27-year-old will be
even keener to lock down the scrum
in this most disrupted of Six
Nations tournaments in
Rome on Saturday — fingers
crossed that the ever-
extending grip of the
pandemic is held
back and that the
team keep
themselves to
themselves.
The sporting
block on socialising is
bad news for the big
man. He is a sociable
fellow who enjoys the
odd drink. You will not
find any criticism from
With the events of last week, Drink
Up Thy Cider by Adge Cutler and the
Wurzels also seems richly appropri-
ate. Certainly, the image of the Bar-
barians sneaking out of lockdown on
Wednesday to do what every Barbari-
ans team have done throughout his-
tory might have been irresponsible
from the health-and-safety point of
view but from certain other angles
was amusing.
And considering that the chief mis-
creants, men such as Chris Robshaw
and Richard Wigglesworth, are some
of the most decent and committed
men rugby has produced, I find it very
hard to condemn.
At least it is a game fewer. It was
also a week in which the British & Irish
Lions announced a superfluous
match in Edinburgh against Japan
in June before their tour and in
which the RFU’s miffed
announcement as the
Barbarians game hic-
cupped into the ether
was overdone.
Heaven knows you
feel for them. They
were annoyed,
they said,
because the
England v Bar-
barians match
had been made
“in order to pro-
me, tapping away within arm’s length
of a glass house. But times have
changed. As professionals, players
have to do what is right for the team.
And that includes knuckling down
and getting the head around the
game.
That requires plenty of time on the
training field with team-mates. But
Billy would prefer to play. A refrain
picked up by thousands of past
players from another time.
This is an age of rugby determined
by detail, especially where Eddie
Jones and England are concerned.
The mind has to set itself on the
challenge ahead. On more than the
odd occasion the giant No 8 has
confessed to not being as switched on
as he should be — to the point of
taking things for granted. It can
happen; especially to a gifted
operator like Vunipola.
He has become central to England,
Ben Youngs
scythes through
Wales in the Six
Nations, which
concludes on
Saturday. If
England prevail
there will be little
time for Eddie
Jones, below, and
his men to
celebrate
vide a warm-up game for the post-
poned Italy v England Six Nations
decider”.
Sorry, but that is gilding the promo-
tional lily. No match against the Bar-
barians is remotely a warm-up for any
proper international match. Then the
Lions declared that the match
against Japan “would give the
followers in Britain and Ireland
the chance to see their heroes
up close”.
Again, misleading. The
very reason why Lions
games have always
been rigidly
rationed in Euro-
pean venues is
that it protects
the ethos.
Frankly, if the
RFU and the
Lions, when refer-
too central for his own good or that of
the team’s. Jones loves a ball-carrier.
But not just a meatheaded lump
looking for the nearest brick wall at
which he can hurl himself until
removed, groggy from the game’s
collisions.
Jones wants carriers who can
threaten and fix a defender. He also
expects his forwards to have good
footwork. Vunipola has delicate feet
for a colossus. The ability to shift a
few inches from the tackler at the last
possible moment enables him to
offload, often to devastating effect.
When on form he is one of the best
No 8s in the world. He is central to the
Jones vision.
Too central. There is a sense that
Vunipola walks into the team if fit.
That is not healthy if a player has his
sort of predilection to take it easy in
training.
The past few years’ worth of
ring to their games, had declared that
they were arranged to attract a huge
bung from broadcasters, they would
have been far more convincing.
In the middle of next month, we
come to the Autumn Nations Cup,
brought into replace the traditional
autumn internationals — originally
with a view to having crowds present,
and you feel desperately sorry for the
host unions that there are unlikely to
be any allowed.
But again, we do not quite know
how it will all feel until we get there
and start playing or viewing. At least
Georgia and Fiji will be playing Tier
One nations, an extremely rare event
despite the annual protestations that
they will genuinely be brought into
the embrace of the old-guard unions.
But whatever you do, don’t look for
return fixtures. Both Georgia and Fiji
will be playing no games in the tourna-
performances question whether he
can truly play his way towards 100
per cent fitness. While Tom Curry
and Sam Underhill were moving
mountains at the World Cup in Japan,
the most illustrious name in the back-
row trio was far quieter. That
constant cry of “give it to Billy”
echoed, at times an empty threat.
The gainline was not devoured, the
offload all too infrequent. In a team
that played terrific rugby he could
afford to take a ride. That might be
fine for a flickering genius behind the
scrum but it is not good enough for a
man around whom so much revolves
so much of the time.
And then there are the injuries.
The poor bloke has suffered four
broken arms and savage shoulder
injuries. Injuries enough to convince
most of us to call it a day. Billy,
however, is not most of us. He is the
epicentre of the England carrying
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 15

MARC ASPLAND

SIX NATIONS Lawrence Dallaglio

2020
Replacing Tuilagi and
Team

Ireland
P W D L PD BPPts

4 3 0 1 38 2 14
why Scotland can be
England 4 3 0 1 15 1 13
dark horses – what to
France 4 3 0 1 13 1 13
look out for this autumn
Scotland 4 2 0 2 14 2 10
I have never known rugby to produce November is a big month for
Wales 4 1 0 3 25 3 7 so many news headlines that it rivals another No 8, Billy Vunipola. Since he
football for controversy and scandal: was named man of the match in the
Italy 4 0 0 4 -105 0 0 from the fallout of the Saracens 2019 Heineken Champions Cup semi-
salary-cap shenanigans at the start of final, only fitfully has he reproduced
2020 to the antics of the Barbarians that form for club and country. That
RESULTS last week, it’s been an eventful year.
Fortunately, we did at least see the
shouldn’t be good enough for him or
Jones. There is huge competition for
Round 1 Wales 42 Italy 0; Ireland 19 return in the northern hemisphere of places in England’s back row. I know
Scotland 12; France 24 England 17. international rugby this weekend, that having Martin Corry, Lewis
and the next six weeks promise a Moody and Joe Worsley — all of whom
Round 2 Ireland 24 Wales 14; feast of Test matches with plenty to would have started for other nations
Scotland 6 England 13; look out for... — breathing down my neck was a
France 35 Italy 22. huge motivator. I hope the same
CENTRES OF ATTENTION process acts to lift Billy.
Round 3 Italy 0 Scotland 17; Wales 23 England head to Rome on Saturday
France 27; England 24 Ireland 12. for what should be a routine win over BREAKDOWN
Round 4 England 33 Wales 30;
Italy in the Six Nations before taking
on Georgia, Ireland and Wales and,
RECOVERY SERVICE
Scotland 28 France 17; probably, France in the Autumn We enter the first phase of
Ireland 50 Italy 17. Nations Cup. Given that those games internationals in the northern
come on the back of the longest club hemisphere played under the new
FIXTURES season in memory, we can expect interpretations of the breakdown
Oct 31, Round 5 injuries and squad rotation. One laws. To speed up the game, these
Wales v Scotland (2.15pm); high-profile injury absence already is place greater emphasis on accuracy
Italy v England (4.45pm); Manu Tuilagi. Does Eddie Jones, the in the tackle area, both in how the
France v Ireland (8.10pm). head coach, go with the midfield axis team in possession recycle the ball
of George Ford-Owen Farrell-Henry and how the defending side contest
Slade? I am a big fan of Slade, whose it. This should help forward units that
ment in their own countries, they will choice players in any position. Other- form has been exceptional, so they are more reliant on stealth than
‘No game be away for every game, used and wise, the authenticity dies a death. It would be my starting point. strength, which could have Gregor
against the abused as normal. Georgia were
alarmingly feeble on Friday against
is likely to be loose and high-scoring.
You would imagine France are nar-
However, it can’t be long before
Jones gives Ollie Lawrence, 21, a
Barbarians is Scotland, losing 48-7. row favourites for the new event, fol- chance. Physically, the Worcester ‘Vunipola’s form this
remotely a The Autumn Nations Cup pool that
includes England, Ireland and Wales,
lowed by England. Ireland and Wales
need a massive revival, and Scotland
Warriors centre is more in the mould
of Tuilagi but there is more to his
year has not been
warm-up for plus Georgia, will be tasty at least. It (or Exeter Chiefs, as they are becom- skillset than just strength. Another to good enough for him
will not have the ring of authenticity ing these days) need to stop promising watch out for is Ollie Devoto, 27. He
any proper granted by the official Six Nations and deliver something. was picked at the start of Jones’s
or head coach Jones’
Test match’ games but it should at least be
competitive.
Today at Twickenham, it will not be
the greatest launch — not only are the
tenure but has only two Test caps. It
would be odd if he didn’t add to that
The pool with France, Scotland, fans absent, but so too the players. But over the next few weeks because he Townsend, the Scotland head coach,
Italy and Fiji is not as strong, unless from then on, as ever, the players are has largely been the starting No 12 for rubbing his hands at the prospect of
Fiji can get themselves together. Wor- in the spotlight. They will be partici- Exeter in their run to European glory the havoc his men could wreak.
ryingly, Vern Cotter, their head coach, pants, and saviours — they have and that has to count for something.
has brought a bunch of tyros with him already saved rugby about 14 times LIONS ON THE PROWL
— the classic mistake when you are since it went professional, now they THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY The confirmation of a pre-tour British
building an international team. have to do it again. Jones is usually quite quick to hand & Irish Lions match against Japan
The tournament will succeed if all In later life, we should always hon- out a cap to any young player who next June in Edinburgh prompted a
the competitors pick strong teams our them when we meet them. By could be poached by another nation disappointing response last week
and if they are to experiment, then their limps and shuffles, and scars and so I am surprised that England let from Premiership Rugby, which said
they should not go below the second- stiffened necks, we shall know them. Jake Polledri slip into Italy’s clutches. it would not release any of its players
Moving players around the back row for the date that clashes with its own
is all the rage at the moment — Tom final. Quite why the two fixtures
Curry with England, for example. couldn’t have been staged as a
game. Three things need to change if
he is to revert to being “Big Billy” and
improve his ball control at the base of
the scrum, he will not be able to tear SUPER SATURDAY: As someone who played for
England in all three roles but
double-header over a weekend
escapes me.
not England’s Hollow Man. He has to
be as fit as he possibly can. He has to
a team to shreds off the back of the
quick phase ball, which Jones
THE PERMUTATIONS considered myself a No 8 at
heart, I am sceptical about
Whether the Wasps flanker Jack
Willis or Louis Rees-Zammit, the
get lucky with injuries and, as demands. it. Having watched Gloucester wing, will be playing in
important as the former points, he The one man capable of causing The Six Nations reaches conclusion Polledri move from that Premiership final remains to
needs to be challenged for his place similar chaos is Alex Dombrandt of this month on Saturday... the flank to No 8 be seen but they can certainly
in the team. Jones gets more selection Harlequins. His ability to pick the this season force their way into the Lions
and personnel issues right than right line from deep and pick it so late 6 England will almost certainly be with reckoning. That is not a
wrong but the pre-eminence of his that defenders are off balance is a champions on points difference if Gloucester, statement you would have
No 8 is self-defeating. He needs to rare gift. One beyond even Vunipola. they beat Italy with a bonus point and I can see made a year ago but if they
scrap for his position. His skill levels are superb. Maybe he France lose to Ireland but the Irish do that he has all continue on the same
Curry replaced him as No 8 post- is not in the game as often as not claim a winning bonus point the attributes to career trajectory, a place
World Cup but the England head Vunipola at his rampaging best but thrive there and be a in Warren Gatland’s party
coach was pretty frank in letting it be his interventions can lead to even 6 Ireland will be champions if they worthy successor to is within reach. Competing
known that the in-form flanker was more tryscoring results. beat France with a winning bonus Sergio Parisse for with Rees-Zammit for a place
being adapted into an emergency Today was an ideal chance to give point, regardless of England’s result Italy — which is high will be James Lowe. The New
makeshift No 8 in the absence of him some game time, even off the praise indeed. Zealand-born wing, who has
Vunipola. The seat is saved for the bench. The stupidity of his former 6 France will be champions if they impressed for Leinster,
great man, no matter how far from club captain, Chris Robshaw, might claim a bonus-point victory over qualifies for Ireland next
greatness he has fallen. have done both his mate and England Ireland and England fail to match that Slade’s form has been month and it would be a big
Jones has to focus on an eight who a disservice. If Dombrandt is not result against Italy. If both teams take exceptional for Exeter surprise if we didn’t see
can do what an in-form Vunipola involved in Rome he should be given the bonus point then it will come Chiefs and deserves a him in the green jersey and
does so well. While Curry will a game against Georgia. down to points difference place in the team scoring tries soon.
16 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Rugby Union Guinness Six Nations
Debutants
shine to lift
title hopes
50
IRELAND
ITALY 17
Peter O’Reilly
The Irish players looked suitably glum
on the final whistle, given that they
had just seen Paolo Garbisi, Italy’s
debutant fly half, shave their points
differential by seven with the final
play of the game. The arithmetic
promises to be tight next Saturday
night and slips like this can be costly.
However, as Johnny Sexton pointed
out afterwards, if you’d offered him a
33-point victory before kick-off yester-
day, he’d have taken it. He’d definitely
have taken it in the 55th minute, when
Edoardo Padovani intercepted the
Ireland captain’s pass and sprinted
away to score. At that point, Ireland’s
lead was just 14 and they still hadn’t
bagged the necessary four-try bonus.
They will have to play a lot better to
win in Paris, and will travel without
Garry Ringrose, who suffered a sus-
pected broken jaw. But Andy Farrell’s
men will derive confidence from the
way they scored tries in clumps near
the end of both halves, reflecting well
on their fitness and perseverance.
That Ireland were often patchy was
understandable. This was their first
outing in eight months and they had
four debutants on show. Encourag-
ingly for Farrell, two of them shone.
Hugo Keenan was responsible for the
first splurge of points, touching down
three times in the space of six minutes
in the second quarter, only for one to
be overruled. And flanker Will Con-
nors triggered the second wave of
points on the 60th minute, as well as
chop-tackling himself to a standstill.
Another reason it took Ireland a
while to get into their stride was
because they lost their scrum half for
ten minutes in the first quarter. Conor
Murray made an excellent cover
tackle to prevent Marcello Violi from
scoring in the third minute but was
also understandably reluctant to roll
away given the proximity to his own
tryline. Matthew Carley showed him
yellow and Garbisi kicked the penalty.
Off the restart, Carlo Canna was
chased down, then choked, conced-
ing a scrum in his own 22. Ireland kept
it simple, punched around the sides
and soon enough CJ Stander landed a
hit. Sexton converted, then added a
penalty when Ireland squeezed the
young Italian tight five in the scrum.
Ireland led 10-3 by the 14th minute.
But they were careless in possession
and looked disjointed and flustered.
Enter Keenan. Admittedly, his first try
was down largely to the industry of
those inside him. But he still had work
to do as he gathered Robbie Hen-
shaw’s long, floated pass. He took it
standing still but had the footwork to
step inside Jayden Hayward and the
power to blast through two more.
Keenan looked crestfallen when
the TMO disallowed his next touch-
Keenan runs
through to
touch down
for a second
try but it was
disallowed
down, for some very mild off-the-ball
interference by James Ryan. And Ire-
land were suddenly on the back foot,
defending furiously in their own 22.
It was two more youngsters who
turned the momentum back in Ire-
land’s, and Keenan’s, favour: Connors
with the chop tackle on Jake Polledri,
Caelan Doris with the strip. Did the
ball go forward off Doris’s hand? He
didn’t wait to find out. Charging out of
defence, he found Bundee Aki and
Murray in support, and Murray’s chip
into the left corner was weighted per-
fectly for Keenan to pounce.
Just when you expected Ireland to
accelerate away, they became bogged
down. Italy owned the third quarter
and had their reward with Padovani’s
interception. Ireland were now bor-
dering on desperate. Finally they
found some territory and almost
immediately they made it count.
Doris leapt to take Dave Heffernan’s
first lineout throw and Connors smug-
gled the ball over to ensure the bonus.
Suddenly Ireland were liberated.
Doris’s surge helped to set up a try for
Sexton, though to his disgust the fly
half failed to convert — his only miss in
seven shots. Four minutes later, Peter
O’Mahony produced a delightful off-
load to send Aki away for a sixth try.
When Heffernan was mauled over in
the final minute, Ross Byrne’s conver-
sion brought Ireland to a half-century.
A 40-point winning margin looked
very handy. What happened next will
irk them, especially O’Mahony, who
failed to gather the restart, with the
BRIAN LAWLESS
clock almost in the red. But if Ireland
can win in Paris, by the requisite num-
ber of points, they’ll deserve the title.
Star man Hugo Keenan (Ireland)
Scorers: Ireland: Tries Stander 7, Keenan 30, 36,
Connors 61, Sexton 65, Aki 69, Heffernan 80.
Conversions Sexton 5, R Byrne. Penalty Sexton.
Italy: Tries Padovani 55, Garbisi 80. Conversions
Garbisi 2. Penalty Garbisi.
Ireland J Stockdale; A Conway, G Ringrose (R
Henshaw 27min), B Aki, H Keenan; J Sexton (capt)
(R Byrne 71), C Murray (sin-bin 3-13; J Gibson-Park
67); C Healy (E Byrne 57), R Herring (D Heffernan
51), A Porter (F Bealham 63), T Beirne, J Ryan (U
Dillane 63), C Doris (O’Mahony 67), W Connors, C
Stander. Yellow card Murray.
Italy J Hayward; E Padovani, L Morisi (F Mori 54), C
Canna, M Bellini; P Garbisi, M Violi (C Braley 72); D
Fischetti (S Ferrari 46), L Bigi (capt) (G Lucchesi
46), G Zilocchi (P Ceccarelli 46), M Lazzaroni (J
Meyer 63), N Cannone (D Sisi 46), S Negri (M
Mbanda 68), B Steyn, J Polledri.
Referee M Carley (England).
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 17

Formula One

ONE STEP FROM IMMORTALITY

Hamilton in reach of record after
JOSE SENA GOULAO

GRID FOR PORTUGUESE

GRAND PRIX
snatching pole from his team-mate
Driver Team Time
Rebecca Clancy tice over the weekend at the circuit in 1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1min 16.652sec
Motor Racing Correspondent the south of Portugal. For the first two Hamilton steps 2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:16.754
qualifying sessions it was again Bottas out of his car in 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:16.904
The word that best described Valtteri topping the timesheet. the south of 4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:17.090
Bottas’s qualifying session was What more can he do to beat Hamil- Portugal where 5 Sergio Pérez Racing Point 1:17.223
“annoying”. The Finn had been fast- ton, who claimed his sixth pole posi- he can claim 6 Alexander Albon Red Bull 1:17.437
est all weekend, in every session, tion of the season and 97th pole of his a historic 92nd 7 Carlos Sainz McLaren 1:17.520
except for when it had mattered as he career and is now on course to win yet race victory 8 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.525
allowed his Mercedes team-mate another world championship? The today 9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:17.803
Lewis Hamilton to snatch pole posi- pole also continues Mercedes’ run of 10 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:17.481
tion for the Portuguese Grand Prix claiming the front spot at every race 11 Esteban Ocon Renault 1:17.614
with his final lap. this season. 12 Lance Stroll Racing Point 1:17.626
In an unusual qualifying session Hamilton, who is perfectly poised 13 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri 1:17.728
that had been delayed by 30 minutes to win his 92nd race today to claim the 14 George Russell Williams 1:17.788
to fix a rogue drain cover, the pair had all-time record, said he had had to 15 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:17.919
opted to run the slower medium tyre “drive the nuts” off his car to pull out 16 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 1:18.201
to set their fastest times. Cars were the lap and insisted he had not held 17 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 1:18.323
struggling for grip on the newly resur- anything back during the earlier ses- 18 Romain Grosjean Haas 1:18.364
faced track in Portimão and the pair sions when he had been slower than 19 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:18.508
decided that as they had found it hard his team-mate. 20 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1:18.777
to warm up the soft tyres to give them “I can’t tell you how hard that was
the grip they needed, the medium today,” the six-times world champion,
tyre was the safer option. 35, said.
The team gave them the option of “I don’t hold anything back. I don’t CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
how many laps they each wanted. personally feel that it works. I remem- Driver Team Pts
Bottas opted for one, Hamilton chose ber trying it in Formula Three and it 1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 230
two and that was the difference. The never ends well. It’s never part of my 2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 161
two traded places at the top as they philosophy. 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 147
went faster and faster, but crucially, “It just doesn’t come easy, so I’ve 4 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 78
with enough fuel on board for a sec- been pushing all weekend. I think I’ve winners in AlphaTauri’s young start third and on a different tyre, 5 Sergio Pérez Racing Point 68
ond flying lap, Hamilton took the been driving well all weekend, but he Frenchman, Pierre Gasly. which could give him an advantage off 6 Lando Norris McLaren 65
opportunity to snatch pole. [Bottas] has always been at the top so I At present there is a chance of rain the line over the two Mercedes in Constructors’ championship
“It is annoying,” Bottas, 31, said really had to continue to dig and and strong winds for today’s race front who are on the slower tyre. 1 Mercedes 391
after qualifying, admitting that he had believe I could get there.” which could add more uncertainty Alongside him will be the Ferrari of 2 Red Bull 211
made the wrong call opting for only All is not lost for Bottas, however. into the mix. Charles Leclerc, who benefited from 3 Racing Point 120
one lap. “Knowing that you have the The track, which is nicknamed the Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will his team bringing more aerodynamic 4 McLaren 116
pace, it’s annoying, but that’s how it “rollercoaster” for its undulating upgrades this weekend. His team- 5 Renault 114

is. characteristic, was resurfaced a mate Sebastian Vettel, however, could

“Quickly, I have to forget that. It’s
only qualifying and the race is
tomorrow, and I know I will have the
speed.”
It is a blow for Bottas, who trails
Hamilton in the championship by 69
points with only six races remaining.
He had been quickest in every prac-
month ago and all the drivers com-
plained about a lack of grip. Tyres will
play a role here, with many of the
teams struggling to get them to work.
Formula One has never raced in the
Algarve before, just as they hadn’t in
Mugello last month and that led to an
exciting race and the unlikeliest of
‘I don’t hold anything not get the car to work and will start
15th today. “It’s not just beating, it’s like a dif-
back. I don’t feel that His run of dismal Saturdays contin- ferent class,” he said. “I try everything
it works. I remember ued as he failed to get into the final
top-ten shootout for the eighth con-
I can. I think the laps I hit, and I’m sat-
isfied with them, are still too slow. At
trying it in F3 and secutive race. Afterwards, the four- the moment there is nothing more I
it never ends well’ times world champion described his
team-mate as being “different class”.
can do than to get what I have inside
me.”
18 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Sport
DISPELLING
THE MYTHS
England prop and firefighter Brown is a
role model for diversity in modern game
REBECCA
MYERS
‘I
have never seen a cat up a
tree,” Shaunagh Brown,
says, laughing. The 30-year-
old Harlequins and England
prop is explaining her work
as a firefighter over the past
three years. “I’d go into the
community and say, what
do you think a firefighter does?
They’d say: cats up trees, burning
buildings. It’s our job to bust those
myths.”
Brown had been a firefighter with
the Kent Fire and Rescue service for
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around two years when she was
awarded one of the first full-time
England contracts in 2019 and
switched to a part-time role so she
could focus more on her rugby. She
worked on inclusion and diversity,
reaching out to the local community
to change perceptions of what a fire-
fighter looks like and what the service
does, before taking a sabbatical this
year to train full-time.
As the only mixed-race woman on a
team which she estimates was around
95 per cent white and male, she was
well-equipped for the role. “It’s an
embarrassment, really,” she says.
“But at least they’re doing something
about it. We have a huge problem with
getting in different types of people. If
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going to see themselves in the job. It
was my job to go out and speak to
them about my experiences as a
firefighter, take my kit to show them,
show them ‘you can do it too’.”
She could just as easily be talking
about rugby. As the only black woman
in the senior England squad, and one
of just a handful in the league, she has
become an unwitting spokeswoman
for the need for greater diversity
within one of the whitest sports in the
country. “It’s not something I noticed
before I started playing, like ‘it’s a
4 50000- Mohaayed 226 (T) D Skelton 8-11-5Bridget Andrews
5 F310-6 Earlofthecotswolds 29 N Twiston-Davies 6-11-1S Twiston-Davies
6 02/04- Point Of Principle 274 T Vaughan 7-11-1 A Johns
7 565-11 Clever As A Fox 96 (D) Dr R Newland 7-11-1C Leonard (7)
8 62141- Monte Cristo 240 N Henderson 4-11-0N De Boinville
9 3PP0-6 Highway One O One 23 C Gordon 8-10-13R Johnson
103UP15- Sir Ivan 247 (P,T) H Fry 10-10-13 ............. S Bowen
11 P/034- Jolly’s Cracked It 253 (T) H Fry 11-10-11N Scholfield
12 2310- Marlborough Sounds F37 (T) Miss Amy Murphy 5-10-8J Quinlan
1326-021 Beeno 63 (H) Mrs D Sayer 11-10-7D McMenamin (3)
14/212-3 Strong Glance 29 Olly Murphy 7-10-7...A Coleman
1521/23- En Meme Temps 274 (P) P Kirby 6-10-4Ross Chapman
1640-R53 Jacamar 22 M Harris 5-10-0 ................. P Brennan
Betting: 7-2 Monte Cristo, 6-1 Clever As A Fox, 7-1 Strong
Glance, 10-1 Caius Marcius, 12-1 En Meme Temps,
Earlofthecotswolds, Voix Du Reve, Jolly’s Cracked It
4.17
VISIT RACINGTV.COM EBF MARES’
STANDARD OPEN NH FLAT RACE (GBB RACE)
£3,754: 2M 1F (12)
1 1- Hunny Moon 230 F O’Brien 11-2 ........... P Brennan
2 1- Windswept Girl 266 A Honeyball 11-2.R Dingle (3)
3 1- You Caught My Eye 457 A Honeyball 11-2A Coleman
4 00- Blue Hawaii 283 Tjade Collier 10-12.......B Hughes
5 Booley Beach H Whittington 10-12 Jonjo O’Neill Jr.
6 0- Donna’s Diva 247 C Grant 10-12............S Quinlan
7
8
1- Drumlee Getaway 252 Stuart Edmunds 10-12C Gethings
Elle Est Belle D Skelton 10-12 ............... H Skelton
9 P/1- Feralkat 357 J Snowden 10-12....S Twiston-Davies
10
11
Flirtatious Girl K Bailey 10-12.................Doubtful
0- Gazette Bourgeoise 224 B Case 10-12....J J Burke
12 51- Karlie 224 M Scudamore 10-12.........T Scudamore
Betting: 9-4 Windswept Girl, 10-3 You Caught My Eye, 5-1
Hunny Moon, 7-1 Elle Est Belle, 10-1 Booley Beach, 12-1
Feralkat, Drumlee Getaway, Karlie
Hexham
Going: soft-good to soft in places on hurdle
course
Rob Wright’s tips: 12.25 Sophie Fatale 12.55
Ulterior Motives 1.30 That’s My Dubai 2.05 Rayna’s
World 2.40 Flood Defence 3.15 Ain’t My Fault 3.50
Adjali 4.25 First Man
12.25
ACOMB NOVICES’ HURDLE (GBB RACE)
£3,769: 2M (13)
1 316-1 On The Wild Side 15 (CD) Dr R Newland 7-11-5C Hammond (3)
2 645- Abington Park 250 P Kirby 5-10-12 ....... T Dowson
3 4/6- Aquitaine Boy 293 (H) J Ewart 5-10-12N Moscrop (3)
4 12- Blazing Port 289 N Alexander 5-10-12Lucy Alexander
5 2P/60- Breaking The Ice 272 G Bewley 5-10-12Mr D Hurst (10)
6
7
0 Burn Some Dust 15 B Ellison 5-10-12......H Brooke
0 Conundrum 18 (T) Oliver Greenall 4-10-12Robert Dunne
8 60 Mr Jv 15 J Haynes 4-10-12......................J Kington
9 3 Rockmann 15 M Walford 5-10-12..........J Hamilton
10 F3- Seven Eye Bridge 350 Mrs R Dobbin 5-10-12L Murtagh (3)
11 2-0 Silken Moonlight 15 W Coltherd 6-10-5Sam Coltherd (3)
122/322- Sophie Fatale 279 A M Thomson 8-10-5....D R Fox
13 0 Wooska 40 J Walton 4-10-5 ...................Doubtful
Betting: 7-4 On The Wild Side, 5-2 Sophie Fatale, 4-1
Blazing Port, 10-1 Rockmann, 12-1 Abington Park, 14-1 Seven
Eye Bridge, Aquitaine Boy, 25-1 Burn Some Dust
12.55 ANICK HANDICAP HURDLE (DIV 1)
£2,794: 2M 4F (14)
1 35-500 Ulterior Motives 10 M Todhunter 6-11-12B Lynn (7)
2 /65-26 Artic Quest 23 M Hammond 8-11-11Miss Becky Smith (3)
3 1-P006 More Music 22 L J Morgan 6-11-7......F Gregory (3)
4 006P-2 Cilluirid 40 (T) T Easterby 6-11-3 ..........J Hamilton
5 5114-6 Bertie Blake 26 (P,D) P Kirby 7-11-3.......T Dowson
6 P50-11 Dubai Outlaw 39 (P,T) D J Jeffreys 7-11-0T Bellamy
7 /6004- Lissen To The Lady 287 Miss S Forster 6-10-12S Mulqueen (3)
8 3000-0 Misscarlett 56 (P) P Kirby 6-10-10C McCormack (3)
9 0/PP2- Towerburn 229 (P,CD) Mrs A C Hamilton 11-10-6H Brooke
100-0262 Grand Enterprise 23 (P,T) H Hogarth 10-10-5B Garritty (5)
11 00005- Eden Collonges 238 Jacqueline Coward 6-10-5Lucy Alexander
1200P-05 Golden Chancer 32 Daragh Bourke 6-10-2J Bargary
1300350- Kilcaragh Boy 299 (T) R Armson 11-10-0P Armson (7)
146465-4 Cully Mac 87 (P,T) A Wilson 9-10-0 T Willmott (5)
Betting: 15-8 Dubai Outlaw, 4-1 Cilluirid, 7-1 Grand
Enterprise, 8-1 Towerburn, 10-1 Bertie Blake, 12-1 Artic
Quest, 16-1 More Music, 20-1 Golden Chancer, Ulterior
Motives, Eden Collonges
1.30 ANICK HANDICAP HURDLE (DIV 2)
£2,794: 2M 4F (13)
1 /0650- Bitasweetsymphony 277 Sam Allwood 5-11-12Robert Dunne
2 /34PP- Coniston Spa 240 M W Easterby 5-11-11H Bannister
3 40516- Dequall 238 W Coltherd 4-11-5....Sam Coltherd (3)
4 3213-6 That’s My Dubai 63 Rebecca Menzies 7-11-3N Moscrop (3)
5 630-05 Whoa Black Betty 32 Mrs J Stephen 5-11-2H Brooke
6 0612P- Epsom Des Mottes 236 (P) P Kirby 6-10-13T Dowson
7 0P202- Ex S’elance 223 (T) M Hammond 6-10-12 J Colliver
8 5P56-P Catlin 23 N Kent 5-10-8................C Hammond (3)
9 55-000 African Glory 40 (T) M Todhunter 6-10-6B Lynn (7)
106/0-00 Sailing Away 23 Mrs S Walton 7-10-5C McCormack (3)
11 0-0023 Molly Whuppie 23 Paula Smith 7-10-2Miss A Waugh (5)
12P00-F4 Louloumills 23 (T,D) M Barnes 10-10-1 . D Irving (3)
13/640-P Hot Gossip 23 (B) Mrs D Sayer 6-10-0Lucy Alexander
Betting: 11-4 Ex S’elance, 11-2 Epsom Des Mottes, 6-1 Molly
Whuppie, 7-1 That’s My Dubai, 10-1 Whoa Black Betty,
Louloumills, 12-1 Hot Gossip, 14-1 Coniston Spa, Dequall,
Bitasweetsymphony
2.05 JUNIPER MAIDEN HURDLE (GBB RACE)
£3,769: 2M 4F (7)
1 41/2-5 Passnotalegend 21 S Waugh 7-11-2W Shanahan (7)
2 1-0525 Pass Rusher 15 G Bewley 5-11-2 J Bewley (3)
SIMON DAEL
Brown wants more
to be done to
tackle racism in
rugby and, below,
taking on Wales in
the Six Nations
earlier this year
mainly white sport, I’m going to feel
awkward’,” she says. “That’s not how
my brain works: it was just, this is
sport, I’m good at sport, I’ll give it a go.
But once I was in different team
environments, it was noticeable.”
It may just be seemingly small
things, like cultural reference points,
but it has added up to deny Brown a
sense of belonging. “I’m still aware of
how different I am to some people,”
she says. “I’ll be speaking about
certain things, foods, music, and
people didn’t have a clue what I was
ROB WRIGHT’S 100U-060 Cryogenics 40 (P,T,D) Kenny Johnson 6-10-3Alison Johnson (7)
TIP OF
11 040-06 Smashing Lass 21 M Sowersby 4-10-2L Murtagh (3)
12010-04 Island Villa 26 (P,T,D) Rebecca Menzies 11-10-1J Hamilton
1360-360 Hey Bob 26 (T,D) C Grant 8-10-0 ........... T Dowson
1403306- Infiniti 225 (T) B Leavy 7-10-0............L Stones (7)
THE WEEK
Betting: 4-1 Camile, 5-1 Flood Defence, 11-2 Bingo D’Olivate,
6-1 Torrid, 10-1 Garde Forestier, Lucou, 12-1 Red Ochre,
Mannochmore
3.15
ALLERWASH NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE
(GBB RACE)
£4,289: 2M (10)
Rapper 1 /254-4 Sao 23 (H,T) Rebecca Menzies 6-11-12N Moscrop (3)
2 2141-6 Glorious Lady 15 K Dalgleish 6-11-10 B Garritty (5)
(2.32 Aintree)
3 /000-1 Janeymac 98 M Walford 6-11-9.............J Hamilton
This progressive gelding 4 23-2P3 Ain’t My Fault 31 (P,T) Miss L Russell 7-11-7S Mulqueen (3)
improved when stepped up to 5 -56433 Gun Merchant 57 Mrs A C Hamilton 7-11-7 R Day
three miles over hurdles last
6 /303P- Cobaltic 245 Dr R Newland 5-11-4.........L Edwards
season and can make a winning 7 4121-0 Haasab 18 L J Morgan 7-11-4 ............ F Gregory (3)
8 1/203- Maid O’malley 225 W Coltherd 7-11-0Sam Coltherd (3)
start over fences today.
9 05332- Ballydonagh Boy 251 Miss P Robson 6-10-9H Brooke
Tackled higher-grade contests
1060046- Ashjan 236 Miss S Forster 7-10-7...........T Dowson
over the smaller obstacles,
Betting: 5-2 Janeymac, 5-1 Ballydonagh Boy, 6-1 Ain’t My
signing off with a creditable Fault, 7-1 Gun Merchant, Glorious Lady, 8-1 Cobaltic, 10-1
Sao, 12-1 Maid O’malley
seventh in the Pertemps Final at
the Cheltenham Festival.
He has the quality to defy top 3.50 DOTLAND NOVICES’ CHASE (GBB RACE)
£4,289: 2M 4F (6)
weight here, at the expense of 1 04/60- Adjali 226 N Henderson 5-11-0 .................D Jacob
Ofalltheginjoints, who could also
improve for a switch to this sphere.
2 2P0-00 Farlam King 23 (T) M Barnes 7-11-0 ..... D Irving (3)
3 3-3F63 Forecast 39 (P,T) Dr R Newland 8-11-0 .. L Edwards
4 0142-0 Mighty Thunder 32 (T,V) Miss L Russell 7-11-0B Campbell (3)
5 F5/5-F Rob The Getaway 11 Sam Allwood 7-11-0Robert Dunne
3 2044P- Sidi Ismael 301 K Dalgleish 6-11-2.....B Garritty (5) 6 1653-3 Taxmeifyoucan 32 K Dalgleish 6-11-0B Garritty (5)
Betting: Evens Adjali, 7-2 Forecast, 4-1 Mighty Thunder, 5-1
4 12/PP- Aphaea F9 M W Easterby 5-10-9.........H Bannister
Taxmeifyoucan, 50-1 Farlam King, Rob The Getaway
5 0P560- Dorothy’s Flame 236 (P) J Haynes 8-10-9J Williamson (7)
6 323- Rayna’s World F8 P Kirby 5-10-9 T Dowson
7 1/4-2U Southern Girl 32 Miss L Russell 6-10-9B Campbell (3)
Betting: 8-15 Rayna’s World, 4-1 Southern Girl, 8-1 Sidi
4.25 LINNELS HANDICAP CHASE
£2,989: 2M 4F (12)
Ismael, 14-1 Passnotalegend, 16-1 Pass Rusher, 20-1 Aphaea, 1 44430/ No Ceiling 663 M Sowersby 10-12-0............R Day
100-1 Dorothy’s Flame
2 /012P- Mymilan 265 (BF) A M Thomson 7-11-12T Willmott (5)
3 P632-4 Event Of Sivola 15 M Walford 6-11-11 T Dowson
2.40
WALL HANDICAP HURDLE 4 P4-012 Orioninverness 23 (T,V,BF,CD) Miss L Russell 9-11-10S Mulqueen (3)
£2,794: 2M (14) 5 0440U- Knocknamona 268 (D) M Hammond 9-11-5J Colliver
1 33523- Torrid 224 M W Easterby 9-11-12 ......... H Bannister 6 F-3431 Graystown 15 (P,C,D) W Coltherd 8-11-3Sam Coltherd (3)
2 P0001- Camile F17 (P,T,D) I Jardine 7-11-11........D Irving (3) 7 /430-P Celtic Sally 26 C Grant 8-11-2................J Kington
3 023D0- Bingo D’Olivate 236 (H,BF,D) J Ewart 9-11-7N Moscrop (3) 8 U4-4P0 Quick Brew 56 (T,CD) M Barnes 12-11-1.D Irving (3)
4 050-30 Mannochmore 32 Miss L Russell 5-11-5S Mulqueen (3) 9 60P122 First Man 32 (V) Oliver Greenall 5-10-10 ..H Brooke
5 40000- Western Rambler 222 K Dalgleish 5-11-5B Garritty (5) 10PP1-FP Go Hard Or Go Home 59 (B,T) D J Jeffreys 7-10-6T Bellamy
6 60646- Lucou 222 M Hammond 4-11-5Miss Becky Smith (3)
7 003- Flood Defence F34 I Jardine 6-11-1.G Cockburn (3)
11 6350F0 Maureen’s Star 26 (D) H Burns 7-10-1L Murtagh (3)
1250/6-6 Phantom Isle 23 (P,T) Rebecca Menzies 7-10-0N Moscrop (3)
8 24/6-5 Red Ochre 29 C Grant 7-10-11 ..... Sam Coltherd (3) Betting: 4-1 Orioninverness, 9-2 Graystown, 5-1 First Man,
7-1 Mymilan, Go Hard Or Go Home, 8-1 Event Of Sivola, 12-1
9 0/55-3 Garde Forestier 39 (T,V) Rebecca Menzies 8-10-10H Brooke
Phantom Isle, No Ceiling
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 19

talking about. I might put a bit of gestures, not just statements —

reggae or Afrobeats on in the gym and ENGLAND WOMEN action.” She praises a survey con- Influencer Award Celebrating
people would be like ‘what is this?’ I’d
be conscious that it’s not group- GET O2 CASH BOOST ducted by the RFU during which she
spoke for an hour with a researcher
the influencers who have used
their voice to inspire during
friendly, not a lot of people like it. about her experiences of racism and lockdown.
Sometimes I have days where I’m like, gave suggestions for what she thought 6 The nominees are: Shaunagh
I don’t care, I’m being me, but the The England women’s team are the governing body could do better. Brown; Imogen Callaway; Alice
majority of the time I’ll sacrifice set to benefit from a landmark She says it was a “really positive” Liveing; Ebony Rainford-Brent
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
something for an easier life.” sponsorship deal. O2, the piece of work: “It’s a big step because,
Brown says she feels lucky to never headline sponsor of England essentially, it’s exposing their weak- Disability Sportswoman of
have experienced some of the abuse rugby teams, have announced nesses.” Now she wants to see the Year Recognising the
suffered by other black professional they will spend as much money pledges, such as those by the Premier- outstanding performer in disability
athletes, such as being called the on the women’s game as the ship to mentor black players, actually sport
n-word and having bananas thrown men’s, with a particular focus on fulfilled, as well as proactive work in The 2020 award categories and 6The nominees are: Hannah
on the pitch — “but it doesn’t mean it increased marketing and visibility the community. nominees are: Cockroft; Tully Kearney; Maria
doesn’t happen. That’s me being for the Red Roses. This month — Black History Month Lyle; Nathalie McGloin; Sarah
lucky. It has happened and, in rugby, “We all know that culture and — she has been uploading a historical Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman Storey
it does happen to people”. sport are going through a torrid fact to her Instagram page every day. of the Year Award Those who have
The sport has been grappling with time so we wanted to make sure “I’ve had so many people say to me made an outstanding contribution Sportswoman of the Year We
racism in recent months in the wake we stepped up and committed,” ‘wow, I didn’t realise that’. I’ve even to keeping women’s sport alive honour the elite sportswoman of
of the death of George Floyd in Mark Evans, the O2 chief had teachers message me on there within their local community. the year.
America and the global Black Lives executive, said. “For every pound saying, ‘I didn’t know this but now I 6 The nominees are: Zainab Alema; 6 The nominees are: Hollie Doyle;
Matter (BLM) protests. Brown has we spend, we will spend the same can take it back and educate my kids Elaine Brown; Katee Hui; Kate Lizzie Deignan ; Jessica Learmonth;
been a leading voice in that change, amount on the men’s and in school’.” Nicholls Fallon Sherrock; Georgia Taylor-
speaking openly about her experien- women’s game.” There are other signs of change, Brown
ces and finding her advice sought by The existing sponsorship too. “I’ve noticed literally in the last Young Inspiration Award Focusing
everyone from the Premiership to the agreement runs until 2021 but week or so a couple of girls say, ‘I’ve on the young talents of the future. Voting is now open for The Sunday
RFU. In June, she appeared on a panel Evans said they were moved to started reading Why I’m No Longer Nominees must be 21 or younger Times Sportswomen of the Year
alongside Maggie Alphonsi and announce the deal extension and Talking to White People About Race or on January 1, 2020. awards in association with Vitality.
sevens player Deborah Fleming talk- particular focus on the women’s Black and British and I really didn’t 6 The nominees are: Layla Banaras; Visit sportswomenoftheyear.co.uk
ing about race in the women’s game. game in part by the pandemic, know’. It makes me proud that Lilly Holmes; Emily Linscott; Roya to cast your vote #SWOTY
The men’s league has launched the which saw women’s rugby they’ve come to me and are acknowl- Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy #KeepUpthePace
campaign Rugby Against Racism, led suspended for most of the year. edging it and saying they want to do
by former England player Ugo Monye, something about it.”

ELAINE BROWN
and Brown has been involved in Brown welcomes these conversa-
discussions to plan how the women’s bold. For me, the sentence Black Lives tions and is always happy to debate
game can show their allegiance. In Matter is a powerful one, a bolder, with people. She recalls work with the
their first game of the season earlier braver statement, in your face. Now is fire service to reach out to and
this month, Harlequins players took not the time to make everyone feel educate ethnic minority communities
the knee and wore black tape on their comfortable. about the service and how they could To read Rebecca Myers’ interview with one
bodies. “We’re acknowledging BLM by help.
The gesture is important, but saying ‘Rugby Against Racism’ but we It’s a big responsibility for one
of our Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman of
Brown wants to see more. “Rugby haven’t done anything yet. I can’t say player to carry, though. “It’s not what the Year nominees, go to:
Against Racism is a soft term, a very that I’ve seen too much change in the I signed up for,” she agrees. “But, at THESUNDAYTIMES.CO.UK/SPORT
general term,” she says. “It’s not very sport. We need action: not just the same time, if I don’t, who will?”

Wincanton
RACING
4 250-4F Beau Du Brizais 33 P Hobbs 8-11-0 M G Nolan ran. NR: Zurekin. 4l, 3½l. G L Moore. Tote: £5.50; 4.40 (7f 6yd) 1, Flying Pursuit (Ella McCain, 12- 2.25 (6f) 1, Caribou (Hollie Doyle, 11-10 fav); 2, Et
Betting: Evens Manofthemountain, 2-1 Worthy Farm, 6-1 £2.60, £4.10. Exacta: £52.50. CSF: £59.71. 1); 2, Soaring Star (4-1 fav); 3, Erich Bloch (5-1). Tu Brute (10-1); 3, Bella Notte (7-1). 5 ran. NR:
Going: good to firm-good in places Trifecta: £124.70
Beau Du Brizais, 8-1 Step Back 12 ran. NR: Arranmore, My Style. 1l, 4½l. T D

Rob Wright’s tips: 1.07 Hacker Des Places 1.42
Flagrant Delitiep 2.17 Honest Exchange 2.52 Beau
Du Brizais 3.27 Frau Georgia 4.02 Namib Dancer
4.37 High Wells (nb)
RESULTS
Imperium Blue. 1¾l, sh hd. D J Coakley. Tote:
Easterby. Tote: £12.90; £2.50, £1.90, £2.30.
2.40 (2m 3f 166yd) 1, Southfield Stone (H £1.70; £1.20, £3.10. Exacta: £9.40. CSF: £11.79.
3.27 THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING RACING
WELFARE HANDICAP HURDLE
Cobden, 2-1); 2, Coole Cody (5-1); 3, Not That
Fuisse (4-1). 4 ran. 1½l, 5l. P F Nicholls. Tote:
Exacta: £86.30. CSF: £57.34. Tricast: £278.72.
Trifecta: £298.00
Trifecta: £36.80
3.00 (7f) 1, Love Is You (Jason Watson, 9-4 fav);

1.07 WINCANTON RACECOURSE SUPPORTS
RACING WELFARE JUVENILE HURDLE (GBB
RACE)
£3,769: 1M 7F (7)
1 31 Hacker Des Places 131 P Nicholls 11-4 B Carver (5)
2 42443 Calidus Mirabilis 25 (B) Miss Amy Murphy 10-12E Edge (10)
3 6 Derek Le Grand 18 Grace Harris 10-12Shane Quinlan (5)
4 Iron Heart F73 (P) D Pipe 10-12..............D Noonan
5 Shutupshirley R Walford 10-12...................J Best
6 4 Viroflay 7 (BF) P Nicholls 10-12..........Bryony Frost
7 Mazikeen F13 W Muir 10-5....................B J Powell
Betting: 5-4 Hacker Des Places, 5-2 Iron Heart, 5-1 Viroflay,
8-1 Calidus Mirabilis, 16-1 Mazikeen, 25-1 Shutupshirley,
Derek Le Grand
1.42 RACING WELFARE - SUPPORTING RACING’S
WORKFORCE NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE
(GBB RACE)
£4,289: 2M 4F (8)
1 /4123- Finalshot 417 (BF) H Daly 7-11-10........R Patrick (3)
2 21/P6- Editeur Du Gite 303 G L Moore 6-11-10Joshua Moore
3 24-025 Statuario 21 (BF) P Bowen 5-11-10 J Bowen
4 /64-31 Fairway Freddy 7 N Gifford 7-11-10(7ex)J M Davies
5 2/500- Gustave Mahler 487 A Ralph 10-11-9 .. B Carver (5)
6 50322- Flagrant Delitiep 225 R Walford 5-11-3 S Sheppard
7 62300- Colditz Castle 227 A King 6-11-3............T Cannon
£3,769: 2M 5F (14)
1 /0P5-5 Viva Vittoria 24 (D) Emma Lavelle 6-12-0 J Bowen
2 0-025U Minella Mojo 17 (P) C Down 8-11-12......J M Davies
3 3250-F Falberto 14 Sam Thomas 5-11-12..........J Nailor (5)
4 00-611 Oscars Moonshine 5 P Nicholls 5-11-12(7ex)B Carver (5)
5 /0-051 Especially So 34 (D) Kayley Woollacott 5-11-9A P Heskin
6 0-2225 Fubar 17 (P,T) K Bailey 6-11-9 ....................D Bass
7 004-00 Trans Express 25 (P,D) Mrs S Gardner 10-11-8Lucy Gardner
8 FP-606 Teaser 10 (P,T) D Pipe 5-11-8 D Noonan
9 40633- Echo Du Large 268 (H) Robert Stephens 6-11-7R Patrick (3)
10006-13 Frau Georgia 49 (P,T,BF) N Mulholland 6-11-5R McLernon
11 /0006- San Rumoldo 227 A King 5-11-4 ............ T Cannon
1250063- Dash Of Blue 227 (T) B Case 5-11-0..Kielan Woods
134-1405 Harbour Force 10 (V,CD) N Mulholland 6-10-12Shane Quinlan (5)
1400-R05 Lets Go Dutchess 12 K Bishop 10-10-2 J Best
Betting: 3-1 Oscars Moonshine, 6-1 Frau Georgia, 7-1
Especially So, San Rumoldo, 8-1 Minella Mojo, Fubar, 12-1
Viva Vittoria, 14-1 Echo Du Large
4.02
SAVE THE DATE 24TH OCTOBER 2021
NOVICES’ HURDLE (GBB RACE)
£3,769: 1M 7F (8)
1 0-05 Blistering Bob 65 (H) R Walford 5-10-12......J Best
2 10/64- Getabuck 228 Ali Stronge 7-10-12.........D Noonan
3 066 Good Bye 10 (B) M Harris 5-10-12...........D Crosse
Chelmsford
Going: standard
4.07 (7f) 1, Inveigle (K Shoemark, 3-1); 2,
Oceanline (33-1); 3, Ajrad (9-4 fav). 10 ran. NR:
Epidemic, Max Diligence. 2½l, nk. M L W Bell.
Tote: £4.50; £1.70, £6.40, £1.30. Exacta:
£143.90. CSF: £102.13. Trifecta: £402.50
4.42 (5f) 1, Smokey (William Carson, 5-4 fav); 2,
Edge Of The Bay (16-1); 3, Captain Ryan (9-1). 12
ran. ½l, ¾l. C Wallis. Tote: £1.70; £1.10, £3.70,
£2.80. Exacta: £25.20. CSF: £25.46. Tricast:
£140.29. Trifecta: £99.90
5.15 (5f) 1, Trouser The Cash (Callum Shepherd,
16-1); 2, Indian Pursuit (9-4 fav); 3, Rocketeer (11-
4). 11 ran. Nk, 2¾l. Miss Amy Murphy. Tote:
£19.90; £5.20, £1.30, £1.60. Exacta: £84.20.
CSF: £52.97. Tricast: £139.19. Trifecta: £320.10
5.45 (1m) 1, Light Up Our Stars (P Cosgrave, 14-
1); 2, Buckingham (13-2); 3, Perfect Rose (12-1).
15 ran. NR: Zafaranah. 1¾l, 1l. A W Carroll. Tote:
£17.70; £4.70, £3.30, £1.90. Exacta: £169.00.
CSF £97.95 Tricast £1,169.08 Trifecta: £2,003.30
6.15 (6f) 1, Nigel Nott (Andrea Atzeni, 15-2); 2,
Rock Sound (13-8 fav); 3, Twentysixthstreet (18-
1). 10 ran. NR: Champagne Supanova, Iconic
Knight, One Night Stand, Thegreatestshowman.
Sh hd, 2½l. M Appleby. Tote: £8.10; £2.10, £1.40,
£2.20 Exacta £9.80 CSF: £10.44. Trifecta: £19.20
3.15 (2m 7f 208yd) 1, Honest Vic (Richard
Patrick, 12-1); 2, Lock’s Corner (20-1); 3, Kansas
City Chief (18-1). ; 4, Sirobbie (16-1). 17 ran. NR:
Vaniteux. 4l, 8½l. H D Daly. Tote: £13.80; £2.80,
£3.60, £4.30, £4.10. Exacta: £324.10. CSF:
£235.63. Tricast: £4,288.67. Trifecta: £8,723.80
3.50 (3m 1f) 1, Frodon (Bryony Frost, 9-2); 2,
West Approach (15-2); 3, Cloth Cap (13-2). 10 ran.
NR: Perfect Candidate. 1½l, 14l. P F Nicholls.
Tote: £5.60; £2.10, £2.20, £2.40. Exacta: £41.30.
CSF: £37.84. Tricast: £215.02. Trifecta: £345.70
4.25 (2m 7f) 1 Streets Of Doyen (R Johnson, 11-
4); 2 Minella Encore (9-4 fav); 3 Polish (5-2). 6
ran. 3½l, 2¼. J C McConnell. CSF: £8.82
5.00 (3m 1f) 1 Bermeo (Mr Angus Cheleda, 20-1);
2 Boughtbeforelunch (9-1); 3 Alminar (12-1). 13
ran. 6½l, hd. J Farrelly. Tote: £28.70; £5.30,
£2.90, £4.20. Exacta: £243.90. CSF: £192.23.
Tricast: £2,275.60
5.35 (2m 87yd) 1, I Am Maximus (Nico de
Boinville, 4-1); 2, My Drogo (50-1); 3, Tile Tapper
(9-1). 14 ran. NR: Restandbethankful. 1¾l, 7l. N J
Henderson. Tote: £5.10; £2.00, £10.40, £2.90.
Exacta £210.10. CSF £203.58. Trifecta £2,924.30
Doncaster
Going: soft
1.10 (1m 3f 197yd) 1, Tulip Fields (F Norton, 9-1);
5.10 (7f 6yd) 1, Bobby Shaft (A Mullen, 16-1); 2,
Ugo Gregory (11-1); 3, Jump The Gun (16-1). 14
ran. ¾l, sh hd. J S Wainwright. CSF: £177.67.
Tricast: £2,940.51
Kelso
Going: good
12.50 (2m 51yd) 1, Saint Arvans (Dale Irving, 16-
1); 2, Trooper Turnbull (11-2); 3, The Silver Prince
(250-1). 10 ran. Sh hd, 12l. M A Barnes. Tote:
£22.90; £3.00, £1.40, £24.20. Exacta: £172.60.
CSF: £100.07. Trifecta: £3,043.40
1.25 (2m 51yd) 1, Hart Of Steel (B Hughes, 2-1);
2, Universal Folly (6-4 fav); 3, Dubai Days (11-4).
10 ran. 3¾l, 35l. D McCain Tote £3.00; £1.30,
£1.10, £1.10. Exacta: £7.00. CSF: £5.55. Trifecta:
£11.60
1.59 (2m 7f 96yd) 1, Chanting Hill (Lucy
Alexander, 20-1); 2, Don’t Need To Know (11-1); 3,
Illuminated Beauty (8-1). 13 ran. 1¾l, 2¾l. N W
Alexander. Tote: £22.20; £5.30, £3.70, £2.80.
Exacta: £314.20. CSF: £219.20. Tricast:
£1,924.69. Trifecta: £2,764.10
2.33 (3m 2f 39yd) 1, Some Chaos (B Poste, 11-4
fav); 2, Claud And Goldie (14-1); 3, Chidswell (15-
2) 8 ran. NR: One For Arthur 3l, 1¼ M Scudamore.
Tote £4.00; £1.40, £3.70, £2.20. Exacta: £38.80.
CSF: £34.51. Tricast: £236.10. Trifecta: £161.70
3.08 (2m 51yd) 1, Rob Royal (Fergus Gregory,
2, Gift List (5-1); 3, Little Rollright (6-1). 9 ran. 3½l,
7½l. R Charlton. Tote: £2.70; £1.50, £1.80, £1.60.
Exacta: £14.00. CSF: £13.37. Trifecta: £71.70
3.35 (7f) 1, Mujbar (Dane O’Neill, 5-1); 2, Percy’s
Lad (20-1); 3, Saint Lawrence (14-1). 12 ran. 1l, 1½l.
C Hills. Tote: £6.40; £2.10, £3.80, £3.80. Exacta:
£128.00. CSF: £105.79. Trifecta: £756.40
4.10 (1m 4f) 1, Euchen Glen (P Mulrennan, 9-2);
2, Natural History (8-1); 3, Litigator (13-2). 8 ran.
1¾l, 4¼. J Goldie. Tote £5.40; £1.90, £2.50, £2.10.
Exacta: £36.60. CSF: £37.41. Trifecta: £126.20
4.45 (1m 2f) 1, Lunar Jet (Cieren Fallon, 9-1); 2,
Torcello (25-1); 3, Aasheq (13-2). 10 ran. NR: Data
Protection. Hd, 7½l. J Mackie. Tote £10.80; £2.60,
£5.50, £2.40. Exacta: £206.30. CSF: £206.21.
Tricast: £1,552.80. No 7 Data Protection (40-1)
was withdrawn not under orders. Rule 4 does not
apply.
5.20 (1m 4f) 1, Harmonise (Mr R Birkett, 22-1); 2,
Percy Prosecco (13-2); 3, Azor Ahai (9-4 fav). 14
ran. NR: Filles De Fleur. 3l, 8l. Miss S West. Tote:
£32.60; £7.40, £2.50, £1.40. Exacta: £288.20.
CSF: £157.77. Tricast: £464.07. Trifecta:
£1,183.80
OTHER RESULTS

8 205P5- Kauto The King 261 (T) C Tizzard 6-11-0 A P Heskin
Betting: 9-4 Fairway Freddy, 10-3 Finalshot, 5-1 Flagrant
Delitiep, 7-1 Colditz Castle, 8-1 Kauto The King, Statuario,
14-1 Editeur Du Gite, 20-1 Gustave Mahler
2.17
FOLLOW RACINGWELFARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
NOVICES’ HURDLE (GBB RACE)
£3,769: 2M 5F (7)
1 1221 Celestial Force 10 (P,C) P Nicholls 5-11-10B Carver (5)
4 P-0 Lord Howard 21 Joanne Thomason-Murphy 4-10-12A Thorne (5)
5 3/226- Namib Dancer 260 Emma Lavelle 6-10-12J Bowen
6 0 Ritas Legacy 17 (H,T) Miss L Hurley 6-10-12Kielan Woods
7 Secret Potion F406 P Nicholls 4-10-12Bryony Frost
8 0-5 Sing Out Loud F10 M Madgwick 5-10-12H Kimber (7)
Betting: Evens Namib Dancer, 5-4 Secret Potion, 8-1
Getabuck, 25-1 Good Bye, 33-1 Blistering Bob, 50-1 Sing Out
Loud, 100-1 Ritas Legacy, Lord Howard
£4.90. Exacta: £24.70. CSF: £19.90. Tricast:
£216.99. Trifecta: £357.40
6.45 (1m 6f) 1, The Cincinnati Kid (P J
McDonald, 15-8 fav); 2, Red For All (2-1); 3,
Alchimista (13-2). 5 ran. 2¼, 3¼. R Hannon. Tote:
£2.60; £1.30, £1.20. Exacta: £5.00. CSF: £5.85.
7.15 (1m 2f) 1, Real World (P Cosgrave, 4-5 fav);
2, Lost Eden (17-2); 3, Thrill Seeker (8-1). 6 ran.
NR: Byford. 5l, 5½l. S bin Suroor. Tote: £1.70;
2, Dash Of Spice (8-1); 3, Fishable (9-2). 9 ran.
NR: Everything For You. 2l, 4½l. M Johnston.
Tote: £9.80; £2.40, £2.60, £1.60 Exacta: £75.40.
CSF: £77.60. Tricast: £367.70. Trifecta: £380.50
1.45 (6f 2yd) 1, Lipizzaner (R L Moore, 10-3); 2,
Just Frank (3-1); 3, Zamaani (2-1 fav). 6 ran. 1¼,
¾l. A P O’Brien. Tote: £3.50; £1.80, £1.60.
Exacta: £14.10. CSF: £12.67. Trifecta: £28.40
2.20 (5f 3yd) 1, Venturous (Ray Dawson, 6-1); 2,
GOLF
15-2); 2, Enlighten (14-1); 3, Grey Girly (9-1). 15
ran. NR: Carry On. 8l, 5l. Jake Coulson. Tote:
£6.00; £2.10, £4.70, £3.10. Exacta: £89.70. CSF:
£101.11. Tricast: £972.02. Trifecta: £1,014.70 Brescia: European Tour, Italian Open
Third round scores: 197 L Canter (Eng) 60, 68, 69; R
3.43 (2m 1f 14yd) 1, Monsieur Co (B S Hughes,
McGowan (Eng) 66, 64, 67. 200 D Burmester (SA) 64,
4-1); 2, Mint Gold (2-1 fav); 3, Dolly Dancer (9-1). 7 68, 68. 201 N Colsaerts (Bel) 68, 67, 66; S Heisele
ran. NR: Jimmy Rabbitte, Lake Takapuna, Lastin’ (Ger) 68, 67, 66. 202 A Arnaus (Sp) 65, 70, 67; T
Memories, Twotwothree. 3¼, 15l. K Dalgleish. Pulkkanen (Fin) 67, 68, 67.
Tote: £4.30; £2.30, £1.50. Exacta: £11.70. CSF:
£12.14. Tricast: £61.30. Trifecta: £55.10

4.37 RUGBY UNION

2 140-14 Shinobi 17 (T,BF) K Bailey 4-11-4.................D Bass
3 60-605 Dark Storm 27 W G M Turner 4-10-12..H Kimber (7)
4 22/3- Golden Gift 354 P Nicholls 6-10-12 .... Bryony Frost
5 4600 Henri Morgan Parry 9 P Bowen 4-10-12...J Bowen
6 1213-0 Honest Exchange 14 C Tizzard 6-10-12..A P Heskin
7 225-42 Perfect Predator 34 (V,BF) A King 5-10-12T Cannon
Betting: 2-1 Golden Gift, 3-1 Perfect Predator, 7-2 Celestial
Force, 4-1 Shinobi, 8-1 Honest Exchange, 66-1 Dark Storm,
100-1 Henri Morgan Parry
LARA TELFER REINED IN FOR RACING
WELFARE HANDICAP HURDLE
£3,769: 1M 7F (10)
1 223-56 Pasley 102 Jonjo O’Neill 4-11-12..........R McLernon
2 1251-P Working Class 25 (T) O Sherwood 6-11-10H Beswick (5)
3 321154 El Borracho 26 Oliver Greenall 5-11-9Ross Turner (5)
4 20-443 Guardia Top 22 (T) N Hawke 4-11-8.......D Noonan
5 /0652- Ardmayle 270 (BF) Ali Stronge 8-11-8......J Bowen
6 3-20 Kannapolis 21 T Lawes 5-11-5...............J McGrath
£1.20, £3.00. Exacta: £8.20. CSF: £8.67.
Trifecta: £28.00
7.45 (1m 2f) 1, Winter Snowdrop (T Heard, 4-1);
2, Uncle Sid (14-1); 3, Splash Of Verve (11-1). 13
ran. NR: Cool To Be A Cat. ns, nk. Miss J Feilden.
Tote: £4.90; £1.90, £4.30, £3.20 Exacta: £63.50.
CSF: £57.52. Tricast: £579.76. Trifecta: £482.20
8.15 (1m 2f) 1, Beat The Breeze (Callum
Shepherd, 7-2); 2, Bad Attitude (8-11 fav); 3,
Blairlogie (11-1). 9 ran. NR: Artistic Vision, Melabi,
Stevie Mckeane, Thunder Flash. Nk, 6l. S Dow.
Abel Handy (14-1); 3, Mighty Spirit (9-2). 10 ran.
NR: Dark Shot. 4¾l, hd. T D Barron. Tote: £6.40;
£2.10, £5.20, £2.00. Exacta: £97.90. CSF:
£85.76. Tricast: £424.43. Trifecta: £465.00
2.55 (1m) 1, Mac Swiney (K J Manning, 12-1); 2,
One Ruler (6-4 fav); 3, Baradar (9-1). 8 ran. NR:
Wembley. ¾l, 2¼. J S Bolger. Tote: £12.40; £2.30,
£1.10, £2.60. Exacta: £36.80. CSF: £29.52.
Tricast: £175.33. Trifecta: £216.40
3.30 (7f 6yd) 1, Conservatoire (Tom Marquand,
15-8 fav); 2, Sir Maxi (9-4); 3, Sadiqaa (16-1). 8
4.18 (2m 1f 14yd) 1, Cedar Hill (Ryan Mania, 9-4
fav); 2, Wise Coco (6-1); 3, Court Jurado (16-5).
10 ran. NR: Clouncerna. 8½l, 9½l. A M Thomson. Women’s Allianz Premier 15s
Tote: £3.30; £1.40, £1.90, £1.60. Exacta: £20.50. Bristol Bears 5 Loughborough Lightning 12; Harlequins
CSF: £16.19. Tricast: £42.75. Trifecta: £63.40 33 Exeter Chiefs 14; Worcester Warriors 7 Wasps 22;
Gloucester-Hartpury P Sale Sharks P; Saracens 72 DMP
4.53 (3m 1f 170yd) 1, Jessiemac (Alexander Sharks 0
Thorne, 11-1); 2, Green Zone (16-1); 3, Handy
Guinness Six Nations
Hollow (5-1). 13 ran. 5½l, nk. I A Duncan. Tote: Ireland 50 Italy 17
£14.20; £4.00, £3.70, £2.00. Exacta: £191.40.
CSF: £169.17. Tricast: £997.45. Trifecta: £920.50

2.52 FOR 24HR SUPPORT CALL 0800 6300443

HANDICAP CHASE (FOR THE DESERT ORCHID
SILVER CUP)
£10,722: 3M 3F (4)
1 06P3/5 Step Back 70 (P) M Bradstock 10-11-7Jack Tudor (5)
2 11U1-1 Manofthemountain 26 Emma Lavelle 7-11-5J Bowen
3 06112- Worthy Farm 239 (B,BF,C) P Nicholls 7-11-4Bryony Frost
7 02-123 Princess T 24 (P) N Mulholland 5-11-1....B J Powell
8 P0/43 Janus 10 (P) M Harris 5-10-13..........M Bastyan (5)
9 3302/4 High Wells 27 (B,BF) G McPherson 6-10-8Kielan Woods
1040PP-0 Derek Duval 12 (T) Suzi Best 6-10-6 J Best
Betting: 3-1 Pasley, 9-2 Princess T, 5-1 High Wells, 6-1
Ardmayle, 7-1 El Borracho, 10-1 Janus, Guardia Top, 12-1
Kannapolis
Tote: £4.20; £1.40, £1.10, £2.90. Exacta: £7.20.
CSF: £6.45. Tricast: £24.10. Trifecta: £42.50
Cheltenham
Going: good
2.05 (2m 87yd) 1, Botox Has (Joshua Moore, 11-
2); 2, The Pink’n (14-1); 3, Allmankind (11-8 fav). 6
ran. NR: Jumby. Nk, 1¼. W J Haggas. Tote: £2.30;
£1.10, £1.40, £3.00. Exacta: £6.90. CSF: £6.15.
Tricast: £46.72. Trifecta: £55.10
Newbury
Going: soft (heavy in places) TENNIS
4.05 (7f 6yd) 1 Tomfre (Rossa Ryan, 5-1); 2
1.50 (1m) 1, One Journey (Jason Watson, 18-1); 2, Antwerp: European Open
Delta Bay (6-1); 3, Nastasiya (5-2 fav). 12 ran. NR: Men’s semi-finals: U Humbert (Fr) bt D Evans (GB) 4-6,
Grove Ferry (4-1 fav); 3 National League (10-1). 15 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.
Cholmondeley, Taurean Emerald. 2½l, 6½l. R
ran. NR: Ejtilaab. ½l, 1¼. R M Beckett. Tote: Prague: Prague Open
Charlton. Tote: £20.40; £5.20, £2.10, £1.50.
£5.80; £2.40, £2.00, £3.60. Exacta: £33.80. Women’s semi-finals: V Azarenka (Bela) bt M Sakkari
Exacta: £218.30. CSF: £121.05. Trifecta: £863.30
CSF: £23.71. Tricast: £171.48. (Gr) 6-1, 6-3; A Sabalenka (Bela) bt J Brady (US) 6-4, 6-4.
20 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times
Cycling
BRITAIN
BACK ON
SUMMIT
Tao Geoghegan Hart is
Giro favourite after win
in penultimate stage
T
ao Geoghegan Hart pipped
his closest rival Jai Hindley to
the line to win the 20th stage
of the Giro d’Italia and set up
an enthralling last day with
both riders tied on the same
time. It is the first time in the
history of a grand tour that
the top two riders will start on the
same time after Geoghegan Hart, 25,
edged out Hindley in Sestriere to
claim his second stage win.
Hindley, 24, did just enough to take
the race leader’s pink jersey from his
Sunweb team-mate Wilco Kelderman,
who had started the day with a 12-
second lead but fell away on the
penultimate lap of a belatedly revised
stage.
Pushed along by his Ineos Grena-
diers team-mate Rohan Dennis, who
had worked relentlessly to split the
leading contenders, Geoghegan Hart
repelled a series of attempted breaks
by Hindley before bursting over the
line to claim the ten-second winner’s
Fleet-footed
Frodon and
Frost put
themselves
in picture for
the Gold Cup
bonus. Geoghegan Hart, who outper-
formed Hindley by more than a
minute in the time-trial on stage 14, is
favourite to become the latest and
arguably most unlikely British winner
of a grand tour today, when he and
Hindley will battle it out over the
15.7km time-trial from Cernusco sul
Naviglio to Milan.
“I’m very happy for myself, for my
team and for the Giro — today was a
beautiful day,” he said. “The time-trial
will be a matter of legs. The route is
short, I hope to have a good day and a
bit of luck, then we will see.”
It was another breathtaking day in
RACING
BROUGH
SCOTT
Empty of crowds but not of action,
Cheltenham was back and with it the
sight of Bryony Frost and Frodon
showing what’s possible when horse
and rider take steeplechase fences as
if they have wings on their heels.
Others, in this case a gallant but
unavailing Cobra De Mai, sometimes
tackle Frodon and Frost for the lead,
but again and again, another brilliant
leap and fleet-footed landing takes a
length in the air and another on the
ground. Their pursuers fared little
better and while West Approach
moved stealthily up as Cobra De Mai
weakened, you always knew that he,
Manofthemountain and Cloth Cap
would soon have to test themselves
against the soaring centaur up ahead.
Sure enough when Harry Cobden
pulled West Approach out to throw
down a challenge he was repelled by
a couple of clinching jumps that must
the mountains as two riders who
started the Giro as domestiques for
bigger names in their teams came to
the fore in exciting fashion.
Geoghegan Hart had been
expected to support Geraint Thomas
prior to his injury early in the tour,
while Hindley had been overshad-
owed by Kelderman until the moment
the Dutchman’s spirit was broken.
Italy’s Davide Ballerini had made
the first solo break early in the stage
but the decisive moment came when
Dennis engineered an attack on the
penultimate climb that left Kelder-
man, Vincenzo Nibali and João
have been as dispiriting as a punch in
the gut.
Frodon carried top weight of 11
stone 12lb, gave 17lb and a 1½-length
beating to West Approach, with Cloth
Cap a full 14 lengths away in third.
Paul Nicholls, the trainer, was
entitled to say that this — a sixth win
at Cheltenham — was a career-best
performance and, since it was
achieved over only a furlong short of
the full Gold Cup distance, it has put
him into picture for that race,
something with which Frost would
certainly not disagree.
“Weight stops trains and that was
about the only thing that was going to
stop us today,” she said with the
unaffected, effusive delight that has
made her and Frodon jump racing’s
most treasured possession.
“The rest of the field knew that the
way to beat me was to keep pushing
me forward and try to maximise my
stamina over three miles and one
[furlong], and for the weight to tell.
But his class pushed that worry to the
side. The jumps he did out there were
unbelievable.
“He knows every fence and blade
of grass. He’s perfect and to be back
with him and back at Cheltenham is a
perfect dream.” How the crowd
LUCA BETTINI/GETTY IMAGES
Geoghegan Hart
beats Hindley to
the finish line in
Sestriere to move
into a share of
the overall lead
Almeida trailing. Einer Rubio was first
to the summit for the second time but
lost ground on the subsequent flat
phase and was caught by the group
containing the leading contenders
just under 10km from the line.
It set the scene for a thrilling finale
in which Hindley, acutely aware of his
relative limitations in the time-trial,
repeatedly tried to break clear of
Geoghegan Hart and establish an
advantage, only to be denied.
Hindley said: “Incredible. From an
early age I dreamt of wearing the
maglia rosa [pink jersey], it’s a huge
honour for me and I still don’t believe
Frodon — ridden by Frost — put on
a dazzling showing to emerge with
a sixth victory at Cheltenham
would have roared if they had been
there, how lucky we are to live in the
world where at least there are
cameras and microphones to share
these moments.
How incredible it would be if Covid
moves on enough for at least a few
decibels of applause to ring out if
Frodon and Frost sing their song
again in the spring.
Meanwhile, up at Doncaster it was
GIRO D’ITALIA
STAGE 20
Stage 20 (Alba-Sestriere 190km) 1, T
Geoghegan Hart (GB, Team Ineos) 4hr 52min
45sec; 2, J Hindley (Aus, Team Sunweb)
same time; 3, R Dennis (Aus, Team Ineos) at
25sec; 4, J Almeida (Por, Deceuninck-
QuickStep) at 1min 1sec; 5, A Vendrame (It,
AG2R La Mondiale) at 1min 34sec.
Overall leading positions 1, Hindley 85hr
22min 7sec; 2, Geoghegan Hart at same time;
3, W Kelderman (Neth, Team Sunweb) at 1min
32sec; 4, P Bilbao (Sp, Bahrain-McLaren) at
2min 51sec; 5, Almeida at 3min 14sec.
WHO IS TAO
GEOGHEGAN HART?
Tao Geoghegan Hart is a relative
unknown but at 25 could become
the next British winner of a grand
tour. Born in Hackney in east London
but with a Scottish-Irish background,
he began racing in 2010 and soon
joined the British Olympic
development programme, making
an immediate impact by winning
races in Europe. In 2015 he joined
Team Sky, working his way up to
become one of its starting riders in
the big races. Last Sunday he won
his first stage of a grand tour, taking
stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia. Were he
to win today Geoghegan Hart would
become just the second British
winner of the Giro, following Chris
Froome in 2018.
it. Tomorrow I’ll give my best in the
ITT [individual time-trial].”
Nevertheless it is Geoghegan Hart
who will start as the unlikely favourite
to win the Giro today.
Meanwhile, in the Vuelta a España,
Tim Wellens beat Guillaume Martin in
a sprint finish to win a hilly fifth stage
as Primoz Roglic stayed out of trouble
to keep the overall lead.
Daniel Martin, second overall, was
involved in a crash near the finish but
because it was inside the final 3km it
did not lead to him losing time on
Roglic. Hugh Carthy, of EF Pro
Cycling, remains fifth overall.
thoughts of summer that were
conjured out of the rain-lashed
afternoon as the Jim Bolger-trained
Mac Swiney outgunned the favourite
One Ruler to put himself firmly in the
picture for the Epsom Derby in June.
Bolger will turn 79 in December
but this was a reminder that he
remains a unique figure in the Irish
racing story.
Typical of his independent
approach, Mac Swiney was home-
bred, ran the colours of his
supportive wife, Jackie, and was
ridden by their son-in-law, Kevin
Manning, who had also ridden the
sire New Approach to win the Derby
in 2008. New Approach was of
course also trained by Bolger.
It’s not just horses that Bolger has
trained. AP McCoy and Aidan O’Brien
are alumni of his ultra-strict
Coolcullen academy and it was ironic
yesterday that O’Brien had chosen to
withdraw the morning favourite
Wembley because of the heavy going.
Bolger is not one to back away from a
challenge and having announced in
July that Mac Swiney was his Derby
horse, thoughts of him coming to
Epsom should warm the winter.
But then that is what Frodon and
Frost are doing already.
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 21

Sport

ANATOMY OF LESSONS FROM

A LIFE IN SPORT
...CAELEB DRESSEL TIM DE WAELE/GETTY IMAGES
JEREMY GUSCOTT
US swimmer is the world's leading TATTOOS Former British Lion on
sprinter and is currently starring in Eagle He draws inspiration from taking on board harsh
the latest International Swimming Isaiah 40:31: ″Those who hope in
the Lord will renew their words and toe-curling
League edition strength. They will soar on wings tackle on Jonah Lomu
like eagles.″
Olympic rings A reminder of the
FACTFILE two golds he won at Rio in 2016 WHERE IT ALL BEGAN… me. My first thought was that
Bear ″I’ve been searching for the My Jamaican dad was into his I’d pooed myself. The physio
Age Height Weight perfect spirit animal that cricket, but my English mum rolled his eyes and said,
24 6ft 2in 192lb captures my soul. And the eagle thought me and my brother “Actually, your nose is broken.”
just wasn’t that.″ might like rugby and I started
International honours American flag ″I'm proud to be an playing for Bath Under-8s. I LEARNT MOST FROM…
American. I love my country,″ he Listening. You can’t just go
Olympic gold medallist said in 2016. BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT… out onto the field and do
(Long course, 2016) An alligator The emblem of the Playing for Bath Colts, I anything. With the quality
2 football team of the University of
Florida which he attended.
began to think I was better
than I was. I asked a senior
around me when I was young,
I couldn’t help but learn.
World gold medallist player what everyone
(Long course, 2017-19) thought of me. He said: “They THE DAY I KNEW THE GAME
13 all think you’re a wanker.” WAS UP…
My Sliding Doors moment. A groin injury had stopped me
from running quickly and as I
World silver medallist (2017-19)
THE COACH I LOOKED UP TO… walked off after playing Tonga
2 THE MOST POWERFUL Ian McGeechan with the in the 1999 World Cup, I knew
START IN SWIMMING British Lions and Brian Ashton my international career was
World records at Bath. Neither told me what over.
4x100m mixed freestyle relay The average vertical leap for a to do: it was a conversation.
(Long course, 2019) leading college basketball player I ENJOY READING/WATCHING/
3:19.40 is 30 inches. Caeleb Dressel can MY CHILDHOOD HERO… LISTENING TO...
make 41 inches. His power and Pelé. I must have kicked a I’m reading David Baldacci’s
100m butterfly (Long course, 2019) athleticism combine for an football against our garage Amos Decker thriller series. I
49.50s explosive starting dive which is wall a million times. only watch television with my
50m freestyle (Short course, 2019) an obvious advantage in sprint wife Saz: the last thing was
20.24s swimming. RUGBY NEVER GOT ANY The Fall.
Dressel is the fastest in the world BETTER THAN…
4x50m freestyle mixed relay over the first 15m thanks also to Every time I scored a try. The
(Short course, 2018) his 'transition' to stroke. "He can elation is a massive buzz, a
1:27.89 counteract a drop in speed with warm fuzzy feeling that the
4x100m freestyle relay highly propulsive dolphin kicks world is good.
(Short course, 2018) during the transition," observed
3:03.03 scientists at the Institute for THE HANGOVER TO END
Applied Training Sciences in ALL HANGOVERS…
Germany. Whether celebrating or
DIET After the push-off (turning for the commiserating I didn’t have
He's not at second length in a 100m race), time for hangovers. On
Michael Phelps level the scientists observed, Dressel Saturday evenings, we’d go
(8,000-10,000 a day) had the longest underwater out until the clubs shut at
for calorie intake, phase thanks again to his 2am. Then go somewhere
starting the day with powerful dolphin kick which else. When — or if — you got
bagels, toast or oatmeal with helps him to "save energy that he home, you’d make some
honey. After two hours in the pool, he can put to use at the end of the calls, have a massive Tries give a ‘massive buzz’
heads to the weights room where he tops race". breakfast, meet at a pub and
up with a chocolate milk or energy bar. Two start all over again. MY GUILTY PLEASURE...
more hours in the gym is followed by INJURY Waking up on a Sunday,
"breakfast-lunch,” which consists of carbs, MY FAVOURITE GROUND… staying in bed reading the
protein, fruit and vegetables. "I could eat In 2018, Dressel said that he had My home ground, Bath Rec. papers on my iPad and
seafood every meal, but if I cook at home, "had minor surgery on my big toe Every time I ran out and heard walking around in my dressing
it’ll usually be some type of chicken. I to reattach a ligament that had the massive roar of the gown for the rest of the day.
graze throughout the day on apples and been detached since high school. crowd, I felt good.
oranges." After sleep and afternoon It was more annoying than MY FAVOURITE MEAL…
practice, he enjoys his final meal of painful. Occasionally it would LEAST FAVOURITE GROUND… In New York, a prime rib with
the day. His favourite? Meatloaf. dislocate. I’d been dealing with it We used to get jeered and creamed spinach and onion
for six years." booed at Murrayfield. Mostly rings. At home, Saz’s lamb
it was banter, but sometimes with all the trimmings.
it crossed over.
MY ONE REGRET...
WHEN WE WERE KINGS TOUGHEST OPPONENT...
YOUR NEXT BBC iPLAYER
All Or Nothing, putting
the fight into the On my phone, there’s a
I don’t like anything that
makes me sad. People say the

DOWNLOAD At first glance, the 1996

Oscar winner When We
Were Kings is the
context of civil rights,
Zaire strongman
Mobutu Sese Seko’s
picture of me trying to tackle
Jonah Lomu. People ask me
to send it to them, but it’s too
World Cup final in 1991, but
that was disappointment, not
regret. It’s in my delete
access-most-areas personality cult and the embarrassing. He was 6ft 5in, basket.
tale of challenger rise of American 18½ stone and incredibly fast.
Muhammad Ali and promoter Don King. In a battle between us, who BEST ADVICE FOR A
champion George Norman Mailer, was going to win? SPORTSPERSON...
Foreman’s 1974 World George Plimpton and Get on with your coach. If you
Heavyweight Boxing Ali’s mother Odessa FUNNIEST MOMENT IN can’t get on with them, get a
Championship held in Clay have their say, but MY CAREER… new coach.
Zaire, the Rumble In beneath the bluster, Ali Against the odds, Ali depression. This is an Playing for England B against Jeremy Guscott is part of the
The Jungle. was fearful and pre- roped the dope, elegiac eulogy to both France B at Welford Road. I BBC Rugby team: watch live
It is, though, much fight, his dressing room regained his title and giants. was hit by a tackle and it felt Six Nations on the BBC on
more, a 20th-century was “like a morgue”. Foreman slunk into John Aizlewood like 1,000 volts going through Saturday, October 31.
22 October 25, 2020 The Sunday Times

Football Results

MY CLUB
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP SKY BET LEAGUE ONE SKY BET LEAGUE TWO NON-LEAGUE AND FA CUP
ACCRINGTON STANLEY P BRISTOL R P
BRISTOL C 1 SWANSEA 1 BARROW 2 WALSALL 2
Wells 83 (pen) Lowe 51 Angus 25 (pen) Lavery 45, 58 (pen)
FA Cup fourth qualifying round
BLACKPOOL 1 MILTON KEYNES DONS 0
James 50
KaiKai 66 Aldershot 1 Woking 2; Banbury United 2 Bury
HT: 0-0 HT: 1-1
CARDIFF 1 MIDDLESBRO 1 HT: 0-0 BRADFORD 0 NEWPORT COUNTY 3 Town 1; Bath City 0 Havant & Waterlooville 3;

BBC TV presenter Ojo 70

HT: 0-1
Saville 3 BURTON ALBION 1
Hemmings 66
AFC WIMBLEDON 1
Longman 65
Demetriou 1
Amond 44
Dolan 90 (pen)
Boreham Wood 2Wimborne Town 0; Brackley
Town 5 Marske United 1; Canvey Island 3 Cray

Dan Walker on COVENTRY 0 BLACKBURN 4

Armstrong 15 (pen), 49
HT: 0-0
HT: 0-2
CAMB UTD 1 BOLTON 1
Wanderers 2; Chester 0 Marine 1; Concord
Rangers 2 Chippenham Town 1; Dagenham &
highs of watching
DONCASTER 1 CREWE 2
Elliott 62 Crellin 72 (og) Sarcevic 82 Redbridge 1 Hartley Wintney 0; Darlington 2
Sims 27 Kirk 26
Gallagher 88 Cambridge City 0; Eastbourne Borough 1
Pickering 70
Crawley Town HT: 0-1
HT: 1-1
HT: 0-0
CHELTENHAM 0 MANSFIELD 0
Dulwich Hamlet 0; Eastleigh 3 Weston-Super-
Mare 1; FC United of Manchester 2 Guiseley 1;
under Mr Shouty, HUDDERSFLD 1
Campbell 8
PRESTON NORTH END 2
Browne 51, 53
GILLINGHAM 0 FLEETWOOD TOWN 2
Madden 66
COLCHESTER 2
Harriott 52
HARROGATE TOWN 1
Stead 61
Hemel Hempstead Town 0 Hampton &
Richmond 1; Ilkeston Town 0 Hartlepool
half-time HT: 1-0
HT: 0-0
Evans 90 Stevenson 54

HT: 0-0
United 6; King’s Lynn Town P Notts County P;
Leiston 2 Barnet 3; Maidenhead United 2 Cray
Snickers and MILLWALL 1
Cooper 45
BARNSLEY 1
Mowatt 44
HULL 1
Wilks 36
PETERBORO 2
Clarke-Harris 63
EXETER 3
Randall 36
SCUNTHRPE 1
Rowe 48
Valley Paper Mills 3; Maldon & Tiptree 1

glorious mullet HT: 1-1

Dembele 75 Jay 39
Taylor 89
Haringey Borough 0; Sholing 0 Torquay
United 2; Solihull Moors 4 Wrexham 0; South
NORWICH 2 WYCOMBE 1
of towering Pukki 3
Vrancic 90
Kashket 12
HT: 1-0
LINCOLN C 1 IPSWICH 0
HT: 2-0
GRIMSBY 1 CARLISLE 1
Shields 2 FC Halifax Town 0; Stafford Rangers
1 Skelmersdale United 4; Stockport County 1

Tony Vessey HT: 1-1

Grant 77 (pen)

HT: 0-0
Pollock 24

HT: 1-0
McKeown 46 (og) Chesterfield 1 (Chesterfield won 6-5 on
penalties); Sutton United 0 Bromley 1;
QPR 0 BIRMINGHAM 0 Tonbridge Angels 5 Taunton Town 1;
NORTHMPTON 0 CHARLTON 2 MORECAMBE 1 FOREST GRN 2
READING 3 ROTHERHAM 0 Pratley 54 Leitch-Smith 19 Young 79 Wealdstone 0 Hayes & Yeading 2; Weymouth
Meite 41, 79 Sowerby 59 (og) Matt 83 2 Oxford City 3; Yeovil Town 3 Dover Athletic
Lucas Joao 90 (pen) HT: 1-0
HT: 0-0
3 (Yeovil won 7-6 on penalties).
OLDHAM 1 PORT VALE 2
HT: 1-0 OXFORD UTD P SWINDON P Dearnley 50 Smith 12
SHEFF WED 0 LUTON 1 Clark 39
SHREWSBRY 1 ROCHDALE 2 National League North
Mpanzu 74 HT: 0-2
Pierre 45 Rathbone 22
Newby 36 SALFORD CITY 1 CRAWLEY TOWN 1 P W D L F A Pts
HT: 0-0
Gloucester 3 3 0 0 11 3 9
WHY CRAWLEY TOWN?
Wilson 57 Francomb 72
Richard Brodie hit the STOKE 3 BRENTFORD 2 HT: 1-2 Southport 3 2 1 0 4 0 7
Fletcher 9 Forss 70, 90 HT: 0-0
It’s my home town and bar and we thoroughly McClean 35
SUNDERLAND 1 PORTSMOUTH 3 AFC Telford 4 2 1 1 7 4 7
Wyke 10 Harness 7 STEVENAGE 0 L ORIENT 2 Spennymoor Town 3 2 1 0 5 3 7
we lived a few minutes deserved a replay. Campbell 59
Marquis 25, 85 (pen) Maguire-Drew 62 Boston Utd 2 2 0 0 7 2 6
from the old Town HT: 2-0
Wilkinson 66
Kidderminster 3 2 0 1 6 3 6
Mead ground. My dad’s WORST OF TIMES? WATFORD 1 AFC BOURNEMTH 1
HT: 1-2
WIGAN 1 PLYMOUTH 1
HT: 0-0
TRANMERE 2 SOUTHEND 0
AFC Fylde 2 2 0 0 2 0 6
from Enfield and a big Signing David Speedie Perica 12 Mepham 90
Keane 69 Hardie 34 Clarke 31
Chester FC 3 2 0 1 6 5 6
York 3 1 2 0 4 2 5
Spurs fan. He took me in 1994-95. He was HT: 1-0
Vaughan 52
HT: 1-0 Curzon Ashton 3 1 2 0 5 4 5
HT: 0-1
once to White Hart incredible. The Hereford FC 2 1 1 0 1 0 4
Lane to see Glenn problem was that he Guiseley 2 1 0 1 4 1 3
Kettering 2 1 0 1 4 4 3
Hoddle being mercurial was so much better
Gateshead 3 1 0 2 2 3 3
against Stoke, but we than everyone else and Alfreton Town 2 0 2 0 2 2 2
couldn’t afford to go nobody was on his Brackley 3 0 2 1 2 5 2
regularly. We watched wavelength. He got Farsley Celtic 3 0 1 2 3 5 1
Blyth Spartans 4 0 1 3 2 14 1
Crawley and I was frustrated, shouted at Bradford P A 2 0 0 2 2 5 0
hooked. his own players and Darlington 2 0 0 2 1 4 0
clattered opponents so Leamington 2 0 0 2 2 7 0

EARLY MEMORIES much that it seemed Chorley 4 0 0 4 2 8 0

We were two up in my like he was sent off Results

first game against every other game. Reading’s Meite scored twice Grant scored from the spot Newport went top with a win Blyth Spartans 0 Southport 3; Boston United 3 AFC
Merthyr Tydfil. We lost Telford United 2; Chorley 0 Kidderminster Harriers 2;
3-2: an early lesson. My MY FAVOURITE PLAYER? P W D L F A GD Pts P W D L F A GD Pts P W D L F A GD Pts Kettering Town 3 Bradford (Park Avenue) 1.

1 Reading 7 6 1 0 11 1 10 19 1 Lincoln City 8 6 1 1 13 5 8 19 1 Newport 8 6 1 1 13 5 8 19

dad used to take an Tony Vessey, a towering
2 Bristol City 7 4 2 1 11 6 5 14 2 Hull 8 6 0 2 12 6 6 18 2 Cambridge 8 5 2 1 19 5 14 17 National League South
apple, he’d give me 20p centre half with a
3 Watford 7 4 2 1 7 3 4 14 3 Peterborough 8 6 0 2 12 6 6 18 3 Cheltenham 8 5 1 2 12 5 7 16 P W D L F A Pts
fantastic mullet. He Dorking Wanderers 3 3 0 0 10 1 9
4 Bournemouth 7 3 4 0 10 6 4 13 4 Ipswich 8 5 1 2 14 7 7 16 4 Forest Green 8 4 3 1 11 6 5 15
gave everything, he Hungerford Town 4 3 0 1 8 3 9
5 Norwich 7 4 1 2 8 6 2 13 5 Portsmouth 8 4 2 2 12 7 5 14 5 Exeter 8 4 3 1 13 9 4 15
scored a few goals with Oxford City 3 2 1 0 7 1 7
6 Millwall 7 3 3 1 8 5 3 12 6 Sunderland 7 4 2 1 8 4 4 14 6 Harrogate 8 4 2 2 12 7 5 14 Ebbsfleet United 4 2 1 1 9 6 7
his massive noggin and
7 Swansea 7 3 3 1 8 5 3 12 7 Doncaster 7 4 1 2 14 7 7 13 7 Carlisle 8 4 2 2 9 8 1 14 Maidstone Utd 4 2 1 1 8 5 7
he was there for all my St Albans 3 2 1 0 5 3 7
8 Stoke 7 3 3 1 9 7 2 12 8 Charlton 7 4 1 2 7 5 2 13 8 Salford City 8 3 4 1 13 6 7 13
great childhood Dartford 3 2 1 0 2 0 7
9 Luton 7 4 0 3 6 6 0 12 9 Plymouth 8 3 3 2 11 10 1 12 9 Colchester 8 3 4 1 12 9 3 13
moments. He became Chippenham 3 2 0 1 3 3 6
10 Blackburn 7 3 1 3 16 7 9 10 10 Accrington 7 4 0 3 9 10 -1 12 10 Port Vale 8 4 1 3 8 6 2 13 Chelmsford 4 1 2 1 3 3 5
manager for a while. Havant and W 2 1 1 0 4 3 4
11 Brentford 7 3 1 3 12 10 2 10 11 Bristol Rovers 7 3 2 2 8 9 -1 11 11 Morecambe 8 4 1 3 10 16 -6 13
We’re Facebook Eastbourne Borough 3 1 1 1 5 5 4
12 Preston 7 3 1 3 10 8 2 10 12 Fleetwood 8 3 1 4 10 8 2 10 12 Walsall 8 2 6 0 10 8 2 12
friends now. Slough 3 1 1 1 6 7 4
13 Middlesbrough 7 2 4 1 6 5 1 10 13 Crewe 7 3 1 3 8 6 2 10 13 Crawley Town 8 3 2 3 11 10 1 11 Bath City 3 1 0 2 2 3 3

LEAST FAVOURITE 14 Huddersfield 7 3 1 3 6 8 -2 10 14 Gillingham 8 3 1 4 9 12 -3 10 14 Leyton Orient 8 3 2 3 10 10 0 11 Tonbridge Angels 3 1 0 2 2 6 3

Welling 2 0 1 1 5 6 1
PLAYER? 15 Cardiff 7 2 3 2 6 6 0 9 15 Rochdale 8 3 1 4 7 12 -5 10 15 Bradford 7 2 3 2 8 9 -1 9
Concord Rangers 2 0 1 1 1 2 1
16 QPR 7 1 4 2 6 7 -1 7 16 Wimbledon 8 2 3 3 10 11 -1 9 16 Tranmere 8 2 3 3 6 7 -1 9
A little striker, Terry Hampton & Richmond 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
17 Birmingham 7 1 4 2 3 4 -1 7 17 Blackpool 8 2 1 5 7 12 -5 7 17 Grimsby 7 2 2 3 8 11 -3 8 Dulwich 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
Old Trafford dream tie Robbins. Actually he Billericay 3 0 0 3 1 6 0
18 Rotherham 7 1 3 3 5 9 -4 6 18 Wigan 8 2 1 5 6 12 -6 7 18 Bolton 8 1 3 4 7 12 -5 6
was brilliant and I saw Hemel Hempstead 3 0 0 3 2 9 0
19 Nottm Forest 7 1 2 4 4 9 -5 5 19 Northampton 8 2 1 5 7 14 -7 7 19 Barrow 8 0 5 3 9 12 -3 5
for a half-time Snickers him score loads of Braintree Town 3 0 0 3 0 8 0
20 Coventry 7 1 2 4 6 14 -8 5 20 Shrewsbury 7 1 3 3 5 7 -2 6 20 Stevenage 8 1 2 5 5 8 -3 5
and we’d stand on the goals. Seen through Results
21 Barnsley 7 0 4 3 6 10 -4 4 21 Swindon 7 2 0 5 9 13 -4 6 21 Mansfield 8 0 5 3 6 10 -4 5
halfway line opposite the prism of a child, Chelmsford 1 Maidstone 0; Ebbsfleet 3 Hungerford 2.
22 Derby 7 1 1 5 3 11 -8 4 22 Oxford Utd 6 2 0 4 8 12 -4 6 22 Oldham 8 1 2 5 11 17 -6 5
the dugouts. If the though, when he didn’t
23 Wycombe 7 0 0 7 2 15 -13 0 23 MK Dons 8 1 2 5 8 12 -4 5 23 Scunthorpe 8 1 1 6 4 17 -13 4
game got boring, I’d score, I was terribly
24 Sheff Wed 7 2 2 3 5 6 -1 -4 24 Burton Albion 8 1 2 5 9 16 -7 5 24 Southend 8 0 2 6 4 18 -14 2
watch the cleaners at disappointed.
Crawley Luxury
Coaches next door. CAN CRAWLEY REACH
LEAGUE ONE? UPCOMING FIXTURES
BEST OF TIMES? League Two feels like
Women’s European championship qualifying Vanarama National League (all 7.45) Aldershot v Vanarama National League North AFC Fylde v
The FA Cup run of our natural level, but Today Group C Wales v Norway (4.30); Belarus v Northern Torquay; Boreham Wood v Woking; Bromley v Kettering Town.
Premier League Southampton v Everton (2.0);
2010-11. We’d beaten there’s a sense of Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
Ireland (5.0). Group E Finland v Scotland (4.15). Weymouth; Dover v Eastleigh; Hartlepool v
Derby in the third optimism under John (4.30); Arsenal v Leicester City (7.15).
Sky Bet Championship (kick-off 7.45 unless stated) Altrincham; King’s Lynn v Wealdstone; Maidenhead v Thursday
Barnsley v QPR (7.0); Blackburn Rovers v Reading; Dagenham & Redbridge; Stockport v Solihull Moors; Europa League (selected) Group J Royal Antwerp v
Scottish Premiership Aberdeen v Celtic (12.0);
round, won at Torquay Yems. When we came Rangers v Livingston (3.0).
Brentford v Norwich City; Middlesbrough v Coventry Wrexham v Barnet; Yeovil v Sutton. Tottenham Hotspur (5.55). Group B Arsenal v
City; Swansea City v Stoke City; Wycombe Vanarama National League North (all 7.45) Boston
in the fourth and went into the Football FA Cup fourth qualifying round AFC Fylde v
Wanderers v Watford. United v Guiseley; Chester v Curzon Ashton;
Dundalk (8.0) Group D Rangers v Lech Poznan (8.0).
Group G AEK Athens v Leicester City (5.55). Group H
Altrincham (1.0).
to Old Trafford for the League, we had Matt Sky Bet League One (kick-off 7.0 unless stated) AFC Hereford FC v Bradford (Park Avenue). Lille v Celtic (5.55).
Wimbledon v Blackpool; Bristol Rovers v Hull City; Vanarama National League South Chippenham
fifth. We were seen as a Tubbs, who was on Tomorrow Charlton Athletic v Oxford United; Crewe v Lincoln Town v Dartford (7.45); Hampton & Richmond v
Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion v West Friday
moneyed non-League another plane: if we Bromwich Albion (5.30); Burnley v Tottenham
City; Ipswich Town v Gillingham; MK Dons v Wigan;
Peterborough v Burton Albion; Swindon Town v
Eastbourne Borough (7.45)
Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers v
club, hence the “you’re find a player like that, Hotspur (8.0). Accrington; Fleetwood Town v Shrewsbury (7.45); Crystal Palace (8.0).
FA Cup fourth qualifying round Bishop’s Stortford v Plymouth v Doncaster (7.45); Portsmouth v Wednesday Sky Bet Championship Coventry City v Reading
just a car park for we might yet move up. St Albans City (7.45). Northampton (7.45); Rochdale v Sunderland (7.45). Uefa Champions League (selected) Group E FK (7.45).
Gatwick” chant. Having Dan Walker is part of Sky Bet League Two (kick-off 7.0 unless stated) Krasnodar v Chelsea (5.55). Group H Manchester Sky Bet League Two Scunthorpe United v
Tuesday United v RB Leipzig (8.0). Colchester United (7.0).
Mr Shouty, aka Steve the BBC Football team. Uefa Champions League (selected) Group C
Crawley v Tranmere (6.30); Bolton v Bradford;
Carlisle v Morecambe; Forest Green v Grimsby; Sky Bet Championship (kick-off 7.45 unless stated)
Evans, as manager Watch the FA Cup 1st Marseilles v Manchester City (8.0). Group D Harrogate v Stevenage; Leyton Orient v Exeter City; Preston North End v Millwall (7.0); Birmingham v Saturday
Liverpool v FC Midtjylland (8.0). Mansfield v Barrow; Newport v Colchester; Port Vale Huddersfield; Bournemouth v Bristol City; Derby v Premier League Sheffield United v Manchester City
fitted in with that Round Draw on BBC Women’s international friendly England v Germany v Cheltenham; Southend v Oldham; Walsall v Cardiff; Luton v Nottingham Forest; Rotherham v (12.30); Burnley v Chelsea (3.0); Liverpool v West
image. We lost 1-0, but Two, 7pm on Monday. (3.0). Cambridge United; Scunthorpe v Salford City (7.45). Sheffield Wednesday. Ham United (5.30)
 The Sunday Times October 25, 2020 23

PREMIER LEAGUE EXTRA

WEEK 6 P W D L F
Home
A P W D L F A P
Away
W D L F A GD Pts
TIME
with
Jonny
1
2
3
Everton
Liverpool
Aston Villa
5
6
5
4
4
4 0
1
1
0
1
1
14
15
12
7
14
5
3
3
3
2
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
11
9
8
6
5
5
2
3
2
2
1
2
0
1
0
0
1
0
3
6
4
1
9
0
7

7
1
13
13
12
Owen
4 Leeds 6 3 1 2 12 9 3 1 1 1 5 5 3 2 0 1 7 4 3 10
5 Crystal Palace 6 3 1 2 8 9 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 0 1 5 6 -1 10
I totally get why people It’s not just individual players’
tops. The still astonishing 1992 Hull
6 Chelsea 6 2 3 1 13 9 3 1 1 1 7 5 2 1 2 0 6 4 4 9
7 Leicester 5 3 0 2 12 8 3 1 0 2 4 6 2 2 0 0 8 2 4 9
spend their lives in City “Tiger Stripes” kit is now a
collector’s item. So too is the
8 Arsenal 5 3 0 2 8 6 2 2 0 0 4 2 3 1 0 2 4 4 2 9 pursuit of famous shirts Manchester United ‘Madchester’ top
9 Wolves 5 3 0 2 5 7 2 1 0 1 2 3 3 2 0 1 3 4 -2 9 of the early 90s. In Cardiff, a friend of
It seemed Manchester United’s kit, as mine found a children’s 1980 Wales
10 Tottenham 5 2 2 1 15 8 3 0 2 1 4 5 2 2 0 0 11 3 7 8
worn by Marcus Rashord, below, home kit still in the original box.
11 West Ham 6 2 2 2 12 8 3 1 1 1 5 3 3 1 1 1 7 5 4 8 caused more of a stir than their result A worn Johan Cruyff two-stripe
12 Man City 5 2 2 1 8 8 2 1 0 1 3 5 3 1 2 0 5 3 0 8 in Paris during the week. They shirt is highly prized, as is a shirt
certainly picked the right city to try worn by Eric Cantona. If you got one
13 Southampton 5 2 1 2 8 9 2 1 0 1 4 5 3 1 1 1 4 4 -1 7
to cut a sartorial dash but I couldn’t of them you’d have to wear it with the
14 Newcastle 5 2 1 2 7 9 3 1 0 2 4 8 2 1 1 0 3 1 -2 7 help but think of the famous joke collars up, wouldn’t you? Lisbon
15 Man Utd 5 2 1 2 9 12 3 0 1 2 2 9 2 2 0 0 7 3 -3 7 about the donkey wanting to impress Lions shirts, Liverpool European Cup
his friends when they came round to final-worn tops . . . I’m sure you can
16 Brighton 5 1 1 3 9 11 2 0 0 2 3 6 3 1 1 1 6 5 -2 4
his place to watch some footy. In imagine the worldwide demand.
17 West Brom 5 0 2 3 5 13 3 0 2 1 3 6 2 0 0 2 2 7 -8 2 preparation, he’d got a picture of a There are lovely stories about
18 Burnley 4 0 1 3 3 8 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 2 3 7 -5 1 framed zebra above his fireplace. players being reunited with tops. I’m
“Who’s that?” asked his racehorse pal going to mention John Robertson as
19 Sheff Utd 6 0 1 5 3 9 3 0 1 2 1 4 3 0 0 3 2 5 -6 1
when they all settled down on the Forest were recently contacted by
20 Fulham 6 0 1 5 5 14 3 0 0 3 1 8 3 0 1 2 4 6 -9 1 settee with a beer. “Ah yeah,” the Stuart Reid. He’d been in touch with
donkey says nonchalantly, “that’s the football writer Daniel Taylor who
when I played for Juventus.” put him straight on to the club.
Joking aside, football kits are a “I think I have a John Robertson
serious business. I’m not just talking top?”
PREMIER LEAGUE AND SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP RESULTS about what a huge financial part of “Really? Which one?”
P W D L F A Pts football and its culture they now are. It turned out it was one that
PREMIER LEAGUE SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP Rangers 11 9 2 0 26 3 29 The legend and myth that has built belonged to the real holy grail among
Celtic 10 8 1 1 25 7 25
WEST HAM 1 MAN CITY 1 KILMARNOCK 0 HIBERNIAN 1
Hibernian 12 7 3 2 17 10 24
up around them is an industry in
Antonio 18 Foden 51 Nisbet 27 (pen) itself. The most famous are out there
Aberdeen
Kilmarnock
10 7 1
11 4 2
2
5
14
15
8
13
22
14 — Pelé’s 1970 World Cup-winning top ‘I like to think Bobby
HT: 1-0
HT: 0-1
Dundee Utd
Ross County
12 3 4
12 3 3
5
6
8
7
16
20
13
12
and Diego Maradona’s 1986 “hand of
God” jersey (claimed by Steve Hodge
Moore’s England
FULHAM 1
Cairney 90+5
C PALACE 2
Riedewald 8
MOTHERWELL 4 ROSS COUNTY 0
Motherwell
Livingston
10 3 2
11 3 2
5
6
11
13
13
18
11
11 after the game) — while others have jersey is in the
sent off: Kamara 88 Zaha 64

HT: 0-1
Watt 37
O’Hara 54 (pen)
St Johnstone
St Mirren
12 3 2
10 2 1
7
7
9
6
16
15
11
7
mysteriously disappeared into
another fascinating world of
underground cave
MAN UNITED 0 CHELSEA 0
Lang 64
Cole 72
Hamilton 11 2 1 8 13 25 7
collectors and fanatics who hunt of some billionaire’
Motherwell them down with the kind of
HT: 1-0
hit four at obsession that is usually the territory
HT: 0-0
home of Beatles or Star Wars fans. collectors. He had the top that
ST JOHNSTONE 0 DUNDEE UNITED 0
LIVERPOOL 2 SHEFF UNITED 1 The most famous top in English Robertson had worn when scoring
Firmino 41 Berge 13 (pen)
Jota 64
football and arguably in the history of the winning goal in 1981 for Scotland
HT: 0-0 the game, Bobby Moore’s iconic and against England at Wembley — their
HT: 1-1
aesthetically beautiful top from the last win there. We arranged for Stuart
1966 World Cup final, is seemingly to come and present it to John, as a
lost to the world, but all kinds of surprise. When he pulled it out,
BRUCE: FROM PLAYER TO MANAGER rumours have grown around it. I John’s eyes glistened and a
Steve Bruce takes his Newcastle side to Wolves today. Of those to have both played and managed like to think it’s in the quiet hush fell across the
in the Premier League, the St James's Park boss ranks fourth for most matches combined. underground cave of some room. He softly said, “Ah
billionaire who shows it to friends there it is,” and you could see
Premier League games late at night over Cuban cigars and he was back at Wembley
As a player As a manager Gautier Cognac 1762. facing Joe Corrigan from
Garry Birtles was the penalty spot to
Mark Hughes Frank Lampard Ryan Giggs Steve Bruce Gareth Southgate amazed when his No 9 win the biggest
Total: 763 653 636 583 540 European Cup- game for his
winning top turned people.
297 466 609 44 632 4 148 435 426 114 up in the hands of a In that
private collector in moment, I could
Lincoln a few years see why people
back. He hadn’t seen it spend their lives
since that balmy night in the pursuit and
in Madrid in 1980, when collection of a
he’d run himself into the football shirt. I’m
Bruce’s record as Team (PL spell) Games Won Drawn Lost W% ground for Nottingham now waiting for an
a PL manager Birmingham City (2002-07) 165 47 47 71 28.5% Forest against Hamburg. I invitation to that
His time with Sunderland (2009-11) 89 25 27 37 28.1% said I was surprised he cave.
Newcastle is not wasn’t allowed to keep it. Jonny Owen &
Hull City (2013-15) 76 18 18 40 23.7%
short of his best “Nope, they told us to throw Friends is on
Wigan (2007-09) 62 20 17 25 32.3%
period in the the tops in the wash basket as talkSPORT every
league at Wigan Newcastle United (2019-) 43 13 12 18 30.2%
always and I never saw it Sunday from
again...” 9am
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