Sports

David Prutton has predicted an entertaining 2-2 draw when Preston North End host promotion-chasing Reading on Saturday lunchtime.   Both sides are heading in the right direction – with Alex Neil’s team winning at Birmingham City on Wednesday, whilst the Royals thrashed Coventry City 24 hours earlier to climb up to fifth. …

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick said Tuesday they “expect” to lose David Alaba at the end of the season, but the defender’s father and agent has denied reports the Austria international will join Real Madrid for next season. “It looks as though he will leave the club, we have to …

Chelsea’s slide down the Premier League table continued with a 3-1 loss to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge; Frank Lampard finds himself under mounting pressure after only one win from six games either side of Christmas Frank Lampard pulled no punches on his Chelsea players after their Boxing Day loss …

Nigeria at the weekend won a bronze medal at the 41st African Seniors Championships held in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Nigeria’s only representative at the championships, Enku Ekuta, defeated Billet Sandrine of Cape Verde with an ippon to win bronze in the 63kg women on Friday. Ekuta, who is sponsored by Accugas, …

Having endured a 2020 wipeout and seen Rafael Nadal equal his record of 20 Grand Slams, Roger Federer will edge towards his 40th birthday in 2021 with his eyes on an elusive Olympic singles gold medal despite fears over his long-term fitness. Federer played just one tournament this year, a …

• Gypsy King trains in dark after AJ threatens he’ll ‘take his head off Anthony Joshua says he wants to fight Tyson Fury next and says the fight will happen as long as Fury is serious about it, reports boxingscene.com. Joshua, the WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF heavyweight champion, did …

Russia will not be officially represented at the next summer and winter Olympic Games or the 2022 football World Cup after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), reports independent.ie. A panel of three judges at CAS unanimously found the Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA non-compliant with the …

Diego Maradona’s death last month shook the world of sport in a year which began with the tragic loss of basketball hero Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash. Diego Maradona, 60 Maradona’s death brought Argentina to a standstill and caused a wave of grief in his adopted home of Naples. …

Marcus Rashford believes Manchester United are “capable of winning big trophies” but admits there is still room for improvement following their disappointing Champions League exit. United have won just three major trophies since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 – the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League …

Jose Mourinho believes other managers are getting away with “incredible things” on the touchline after clashing with Jurgen Klopp at Anfield in midweek. The Tottenham boss speaks to Sky Sports ahead of their clash with Leicester on Super Sunday from 2.15pm. Mourinho, who has been given a number of touchline …