Sports

Crystal Palace have dispensed with the services of boss Alan Pardew after a poor run of form in 2016

Some sackings of managers are hard to work out, like Gary Rowett being sacked by Birmingham recently.

However, Crystal Palace dispensing with the services of boss Alan Pardew on Thursday was pretty easy to understand.

Palace have simply not been good enough in 2016, never mind this season.

The Palace hierarchy deserve credit for sticking with the former Newcastle boss for the length of time they have, although the new investors in the club may have had a big say Pardew’ departure.

The numbers don’t lie

Pardew actually enjoyed a good start to his Palace career. He took over the Eagles in January 2015 when they were 18th in the table and…

Manchester United have announced that winger Antonio Valencia has signed a new three-year deal.

The Ecuador captain, who is currently representing his country in the FIFA World Cup, joined United from Wigan Athletic five years ago and has gone on to make 191 appearances for the Old Trafford outfit.

Valencia had just one year remaining on his previous deal, but will play his part in a new era under Louis van Gaal after putting pen to paper on a contract that includes an option to extend until June 2018.

The 28-year-old told the club s official website: My time at Manchester United has been like a dream come true. To be the first Ecuadorian player to win the English Premier League was a very proud moment for me and for my country.

I am so happy to have sig…

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Paul Pogba is happy again after hailing the star midfielder following his match-winning display against Fulham.

Pogba scored the winning goal as United returned to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory at Fulham on Wednesday.

Edinson Cavani cancelled out Ademola Lookman s fifth-minute opener with a poacher s finish 16 minutes later in London, where Pogba stepped up for United.

Pogba fired a stunning left-foot effort past Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola in the 65th minute as United extended their unbeaten streak away from home to 17 games in the Premier League – matching the club s longest ever run set back in 1999.

The future of Pogba has dominated headlines since his outspoken a…

Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and others were able to meet Alex Ferguson s standards at Manchester United because of iconic youth coach Eric Harrison, according to their fellow Class of 92 graduate Chris Casper.

Harrison passed away on Wednesday at the age of 81 and the world of football was swift to pay tribute to the man who helped forge one of the greatest dynasties the sport has seen in Britain.

As well as Giggs, Scholes and Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt all came through United s academy in the early 1990s, going on to play a huge role in one of the most fruitful periods in the club s history.

Giggs – the most decorated British player ever – went on to overtake Bobby Charlton as United s record appearance maker, while Schole…

England enjoyed a morale-boosting Wembley triumph with a 2-1 win over Nigeria in their penultimate match before heading to the World Cup in Russia.

Gareth Southgate s side, who have one more friendly to come against Costa Rica on Thursday, begin their Group G campaign against Tunisia on June 18 and looked primed and ready on the evidence of Saturday s energetic outing. 

Gary Cahill headed the hosts into a seventh-minute lead from Kieran Trippier s corner, the Chelsea defender eluding all of those bedecked in Nigeria s eye-catching colours.

After a week of being subjected to media scrutiny for his choice of tattoo and subsequent late arrival at the team s training camp, Raheem Sterling – who was booked for diving in the second half – had a sight of glory…

Mauricio Pochettino described it as a gift to have Kylian Mbappe after the forward demonstrated his abilities with both goals in Paris Saint-Germain s 2-0 win over Reims.

Mbappe has been the centre of much transfer speculation having apparently told the club he wants to leave. Real Madrid are seemingly the only runner in the race to sign a player who is in the final year of his current contract at PSG.

There was no questioning his commitment to his current employers on Sunday, though, as the 22-year-old scored twice at Stade Auguste Delaune, in the process overshadowing a debut appearance off the bench for new recruit Lionel Messi.

Madrid have reportedly had two bids rejected for Mbappe, with sporting director Leonardo making clear PSG hope he stays in the Fre…

According to a recent report over in Italy, Ivan Perisic is still a major target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The next few months are set to be incredibly interesting for Spurs fans, as the club begins to start a new era in their new stadium. With that new stadium will come a brand new look for the team, with many fans expecting some big alterations in the squad during the summer transfer window. One of those changes could see World Cup star Ivan Perisic arrive in North London, after months of speculation over his future.

The Inter Milan midfielder could well be available for £30 million, which many fans will see as a bargain when taking the inflation rates of modern day football into consideration.

Perisic has been with Inter since back in 2015 when he joined fr…

A team bus carrying the players and officials of Asante Kotoko, the most successful club in Ghana s Premier League, has been involved in a serious accident.

One death and multiple injuries have been reported from the incident on Wednesday, which took place as Asante Kokoto travelled back from their 1-0 loss to Inter Allies in Accra.

The club confirmed on Twitter that the bus collided with a stationary vehicle and that personnel on the bus are generally fine .

However, some of those involved have been transported for treatment at the Holy Family Hospital in Nkawkaw.

The accident occurred around 9:45pm at Nkawkaw, when our bus ran into a stationary vehicle.

— Asante Kotoko SC (@AsanteKotoko_SC)

Personnel on the bus are generally fine. Som…

Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick and Neymar made his return from a three-month injury lay-off as Paris Saint-Germain began their Ligue 1 title celebrations with a 3-1 win over visitors Monaco on Sunday.

PSG were already confirmed as champions earlier in the day after second-placed Lille could only draw 0-0 with Toulouse, and Thomas Tuchel s men subsequently played with freedom in an emphatic triumph inspired by Mbappe against his old club.

The lethal Mbappe took only 15 minutes to make his mark at the end of a stunning counter-attack and he doubled his tally just before half-time, rounding off another well-worked move.

Neymar – fit again after breaking his foot in January – came on at the interval to a huge cheer, before Mbappe completed his treble in the …

Wilfried Zaha described his time at Manchester United as hell and slammed the club for failing to offer him adequate support as a young player.

The Ivorian forward arrived at United from Crystal Palace for a reported £10million in June 2013 but played just 28 minutes of Premier League football for the Red Devils before being temporarily sent to Cardiff City.

Zaha returned to Selhurst Park on loan in August 2014 and made a permanent switch to the Eagles in February 2015, bringing end to his association with a club he says never gave him a chance.

Obviously, getting to United isn t easy, so not being given a chance is hard to take, the winger told The Sun.

I went through so much with United, with England. There were rumours that the reason I wasn t play…