Sports
Shaun Murphy sets sights on World Championship after Masters glory
Shaun Murphy believes he can “now go all the way” and win snooker’s World Championship following his historic Masters success.
A decade after he first secured the Masters title, Shaun Murphy returned to winning ways on Sunday night at the Alexandra Palace.
He proved to be a cut-above throughout the competition, notably potting the competition’s sixth 147 break in history during his clash against Mark Allen.
Talking to Champions Speakers, a leading keynote speakers agency, Murphy reflected on his tournament performance: “I thought my time of victory had gone. I knew I still had it in me for the odd little match here or there, or for a little bit of a flash in the pan every now and again.
Shaun Murphy won the Masters on Sunday after beating Kyren Wilson
PA
“But to do it all week, to play really well and to win, I’m absolutely blown away because I genuinely thought those days had gone for me.
“Over the last few seasons I’ve had a number of tough defeats to soak up. They do take their toll. It’s very difficult in snooker as you don’t have teammates to rely on, it is just for you out there with your thoughts.
“When you’re losing all the time, not taking trophies home, it’s easy to let those negatives take over and I think I had.”
And looking further ahead to the World Championships he added: “The masters win definitely gives me renewed confidence that come the World Championships in April I still have it in me to go all the way.
Sunday’s dramatic final was a match-up in which the momentum swung both ways. At the halfway mark Murphy found himself cruising and 6-2 ahead.
Seven frames later the score stood at 8-7, however Wilson’s missed red in the 16th would allow ‘The Magician’ to re-find his form and take the match.
He said: “When your opponent starts making a run at you, as you expect from a world champion like Kyren Wilson, he’s not going to lie down. I expected that onslaught from him, you have to just soak it up.
“You have to just not panic, you’re watching the scoreboard tick over, you had a four frame lead that’s now dwindling away, he gets to within one.
“Obviously you see the set-up (before Wilson’s missed red) and thoughts of previous tournaments come back, but I didn’t go to Ali Pali for that.
“I went for the trophy. I thought, this is my moment. Stand up and do it now. That was a good mantra for me, forget what’s gone, wipe the slate clean, just pot the balls that are in front of you, and you’ll be a champion.”
Shaun Murphy has won one World Championship – in 2005 as a huge underdog at 150/1 before the tournament
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Murphy continued: “It’s going to sink in as the day’s unfolding. I’ve always been consistent. I’ve always felt that there’s been something special about multiple winners of Triple Crown events. There’s only 11 of us that have won the set.
“So I feel as if being a multiple winner now of the Masters, perhaps just elevates me slightly in the game.
“But what it does for me is, having lost that belief that those types of things were possible for me anymore, definitely reignited my belief. I’ll certainly walk a bit taller when I get to the next tournament.”
Next week, Murphy will be diving straight back into the action at the German Masters in Berlin. He will be looking to continue his excellent form into the rest of the season, with expectations understandably rising for the Englishman.
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Shaun Murphy goes into the German Masters full of confidence
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Looking ahead to next week, Murphy said: “My belief is that I’m now not going to go there to make numbers up. I’m going there believing that I can win.
“There’s nothing better than winning and taking a trophy home to boost that confidence.
“We’ll be heading to Berlin on Sunday. I’ve got the week at home to practice, to get ready for it. I don’t want to rest on my laurels, I don’t want to rest easy and take a few days off.
“I want to get back on the table, do what I know works. Get ready, get sharp. Stay sharp, turn up to Berlin and hopefully give them hell.”
Sports
Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
Novak Djokovic has cast doubt on his future at the Australian Open just moments after coming back to beat Carlos Alcaraz.
The 37-year-old had to overcome injury to down the 2024 Wimbledon champion, eventually claiming a 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 win in Melbourne to reach the semi-final.
“It was possibly one of the best matches of the tournament on the men’s side,” said Djokovic.
“It felt like a final of a Slam and I wish it was. We both gave it our all.”
Novak Djokovic has thrown doubt over his future at the Australian Open
Eurosport
However, having limped around Rod Laver Arena due to a problem with his left leg, the Serbian has raised doubts over his future at the tournament despite gunning for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Having played through the injury aggressively, Djokovic addressed his physical concerns and admitted he nearly retired from the match.
“Well since I’m still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much obviously,” he started.
“But yeah, the medication started to kick in and that helped, no doubt. I had to take another dose. This sounds awful! Me taking another dose. But I had to.
“I didn’t know, to be honest, if I lost the second set I didn’t know if I would continue playing.
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“But I felt better and better, managed to play a great couple of games to end the second set.
“And then I saw that Carlos was hesitant a little bit from the back of the court and I took my chances and started to feel better, started to move better.
“So it didn’t bother me, it didn’t create any hindrance towards the end of the match, only in that second set.
READ MORE:England captain Jos Buttler reveals blunt reason for Afghanistan boycott rejection
Novak Djokovic let loose with a roar after winning against Carlos Alcaraz
Reuters
“Obviously when the medication starts to release, I’ll see what the reality is tomorrow morning. But right now I’ll just try to be in the moment and enjoy this victory,” he said, suggesting that Friday’s semi-final might be touch and go.
Having played through the pain barrier, Djokovic started to move more freely by the third set to take control of the tie.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, grew more and more frustrated after losing momentum before losing a truly epic clash that lasted three hours and 38 minutes.
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Novak Djokovic had to play through the pain barrier to defeat Carlos Alcaraz
Reuters
After claiming victory, Djokovic roared in the direction of Andy Murray, who has been employed as the seventh seed’s coach for the Australian Open this year.
Djokovic, who has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, has a much-needed day off before returning to court to face Alexander Zrevev on Friday in the semi-final.
Arne Slot praises Mohammed Salah after he scored his 50th European goal for Liverpool in the 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield.
A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with abusive social media messages sent to Arsenal forward Kai Havertz’s pregnant wife following the club’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
The teenager from St Albans was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications, Hertfordshire Police confirmed on Tuesday.
The teen has since been released on bail while police enquiries continue into the threatening messages sent to Sophia Havertz on Instagram.
The incident occurred after Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round exit to Manchester United on January 12 at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz was abused after United beat Arsenal in the FA Cup earlier this month
Reuters
Havertz, 25, missed a crucial penalty in the shootout defeat, having also squandered an opportunity to win the match during normal time.
His spot-kick was saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leading to Arsenal’s elimination from the competition.
The abusive messages were sent to Sophia Havertz on Instagram in the hours following the match.
Sophia Havertz shared screenshots of the vile messages she received, which included threats about the couple’s unborn child.
One Instagram user wrote “I hope you have a miscarriage,” while another message contained threats to “slaughter” their child.
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Sophia, who has half a million followers on Instagram, responded by urging people to be “more respectful.”
“For anyone to think it’s okay to write something like this is so shocking to me. I hope you are so ashamed of yourself,” she wrote.
Arsenal responded by hiring data technology firm Signify to help determine the identity of those responsible for the abuse.
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Sophia Havertz (centre) posted the abusive messages on social media
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called for decisive action against online abuse earlier this month, saying: “It’s incredible, honestly. We really have to do something about it, because accepting that and hiding this has terrible consequences.”
“It’s something we have to eradicate from the game because it’s so cynical and dependent to a result of an action. There is no other industry like this,” he added.
Kai and Sophia Havertz have been in a relationship since 2018.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
A teenager has been arrested for sending messages to Kai Havertz
Reuters
The couple announced their engagement in summer 2023 before getting married later that year.
In November 2023, they revealed they were expecting their first child together.
Havertz joined Arsenal from Chelsea in a £65million move in 2023 and has scored 27 goals in 80 appearances for the north London club.
His teammate Leandro Trossard recently defended him, saying: “He is so good for us, not just in terms of scoring but he helps us get up the pitch too.”
Mason Greenwood has switched his international allegiance from England to Jamaica after the Football Association made it clear he would never be considered for selection again.
The 23-year-old Marseille striker has completed the necessary paperwork to represent the Reggae Boys, having qualified through his Jamaican-born father.
The former Manchester United forward won his solitary England cap in 2020 but can change nationality as that appearance came before he turned 21.
The FA’s stance came following Greenwood’s suspension from football three years ago, when he was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour.
Mason Greenwood has pledged his allegiance to Jamaica
Getty
The charges were subsequently dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, with Greenwood denying all allegations.
Despite rebuilding his career at Getafe and now Marseille, FA bosses decided against future England selection, citing concerns over the adverse publicity it would generate.
Steve McClaren, the former England manager, now leads the Jamaican national team that Greenwood will join.
The switch comes after Greenwood completed all necessary paperwork to be eligible for selection by Jamaica.
The striker was once viewed as a potential successor to England’s current number nine Harry Kane, but will now forge a new international path with the Caribbean nation.
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Jamaica boss Steve McClaren is keen to get Mason Greenwood in his squad
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Greenwood joined Marseille from Manchester United last summer in a £27m transfer deal.
The forward has flourished in French football, scoring 12 goals to become the leading scorer in Ligue 1 this season.
Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has praised his star striker, saying: “He’s just exceptional. He’s a great player and it shows. I’m happy to see him score to end all the controversy in the media.”
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Nottingham Forest make Matheus Cunha their top January target, Arsenal also showing firm interest in Wolves forward, Chelsea to hold more talks over Alejandro Garnacho.
Nottingham Forest have made Wolves and Brazil forward Matheus Cunha their top January target in the push for Champions League qualification. (Mail) , external
Arsenal have also shown firm interest in signing 25-year-old Cunha in the January transfer window. (Fichajes), external
Chelsea are set to hold more talks with Manchester United over Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, who is valued at £50m. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external
United have made enquiries for Bournemouth and Hungary’s Milos Kerkez, 21, Wolves and Algeria’s Rayan Ait-Nouri, 23, and Crystal Palace and England’s Tyrick Mitchell, 25, as Ruben Amorim prioritises signing a left wing-back. (The i), external
West Ham are keen to back new manager Graham Potter with new additions at centre-back and centre-forward before the transfer deadline on 3 February. (Football Insider) , external
Chelsea are demanding at least £70m before allowing France striker Christopher Nkunku, 27, to join Bayern Munich. (Sky Sports), external
Manchester United and Brazil winger Antony, 24, is close to completing a loan move to Real Betis. (Sky Sports) , external
Tottenham and RB Leipzig are the two main clubs trying to sign Southampton’s 18-year-old English midfielder Tyler Dibling. (Sky Germany), external
Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are both pushing to sign Chelsea and Portugal defender Renato Veiga, 21, who is available for either loan or a permanent move. (Times), external
Marseille are the latest club to express an interest in signing Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, 27. (L’Equipe), external
However Rashford’s favoured destination is Barcelona, who have freed up funds which would allow them to sign the England international. (Athletic – subscription required), external
Ligue 1 side Monaco are also interested in Rashford and could afford his £315,000-a-week wages in a loan deal. (Sun), external
Fulham have enquired about AC Milan and Brazil defender Emerson Royal, 26, who will be available if the Italian club sign England full-back Kyle Walker, 34, from Manchester City. (Times), external
Manchester City have a verbal agreement with La Liga club Real Valladolid to sign Sierra Leonean centre-back Juma Bah, 18. (Fabrizio Romano), external
France’s former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, 31, says he has rejected an offer to return to football from a club in Russia. (Twitch), external
Derby County have rejected a bid from Brighton for former Republic of Ireland Under-21 centre-back Eiran Cashin, 23. (Sky Sports), external
Celtic are unlikely to match Aston Villa‘s asking price for English forward Louis Barry, 21, after having a £10m bid rejected. (Football Insider), external
Mohamed Salah netted his historic 50th European goal for Liverpool as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday night.
The win made Liverpool the first team to book their place in the Champions League last 16 under the new Swiss model format.
Salah’s 34th-minute strike was followed by a Jonathan David equaliser for the 10-man visitors, before Harvey Elliott’s deflected effort sealed the victory for Arne Slot’s side.
The result maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s competition, cementing their position at the top of the 36-team standings with an unassailable lead.
Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool to victory over Lille on Tuesday night
Reuters
The victory also marked Liverpool’s seventh consecutive Champions League win, equalling their best sequence in the competition’s modern era.
Curtis Jones provided the crucial assist for Liverpool’s opener, threading a brilliant through ball that allowed Salah to race clear and finish past Lucas Chevalier.
The hosts looked to be in complete control when Lille’s Aissa Mandi was shown a second yellow card on the hour mark for a foul on Luis Diaz.
However, just three minutes after going down to ten men, the French side found a surprise equaliser through Jonathan David.
The Canadian striker pounced after Hakon Haraldsson’s initial effort was blocked, blasting home from close range in front of the travelling supporters.
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The setback proved only temporary for Liverpool, as substitute Harvey Elliott restored their lead five minutes later with a speculative effort that took a massive deflection off Ngal Ayel Mukau.
Liverpool’s qualification for the knockout stages comes with the luxury of having their final group game against PSV Eindhoven reduced to a dead rubber.
Manager Arne Slot now has the option to rest key players in that fixture, with top spot already secured.
The victory was particularly impressive given Lille’s strong European form this season, with the French side having previously earned results against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott’s goals led Liverpool to victory over Lille
Reuters
The win also saw Liverpool set a new club record for the longest time without conceding a goal in Europe, surpassing the previous mark of 576 minutes established by Rafael Benitez’s team in 2005-06.
That streak was finally ended by David’s equaliser, though it proved insufficient to deny Liverpool their historic achievement.
Liverpool dominated the key statistics, enjoying 55 per cent possession compared to Lille’s 45 per cent.
The home side registered 10 shots to Lille’s three, with four of those efforts finding the target against just one for the visitors.
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Arne Slot’s Liverpool are in the midst of an incredible season
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The corner count was similarly in Liverpool’s favour at 2-1, while the foul count showed Liverpool committing 10 infractions to Lille’s six.
Both teams will now turn their attention to domestic matters, with Liverpool hosting Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday.
Lille, whose club-record 21-game unbeaten run came to an end at Anfield, travel to face Strasbourg in Ligue 1 at the weekend.
The French side will conclude their Champions League league phase campaign with a home fixture against Feyenoord.
Sports
Man City’s Erling Haaland ‘confident club know what they’re doing’ with Premier League charges
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland says the charges facing the club had no bearing on him signing a new long-term contract.
Haaland has signed a nine-and-a-half-year deal that would keep him at Etihad Stadium until 2034 – and makes him one of the highest-paid sportspeople in the world.
City are awaiting the outcome of the disciplinary hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules, which could result in a points deduction and even relegation.
READ MORE: Man City charges had no impact on new deal – Haaland
Sports
Lewis Hamilton dons Ferrari colours for the first time as he bids to break Michael Schumacher record
Lewis Hamilton has donned Ferrari’s iconic red Formula 1 race overalls for the first time, sharing the historic moment on social media.
The seven-time world champion posted a picture of himself wearing the famous Scuderia Ferrari racing suit with the caption “first time in red”.
The image marks another significant milestone in Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari, following his blockbuster switch from Mercedes for the 2025 season in what is widely regarded as one of the biggest driver transfers in F1 history.
Hamilton visited Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters for the first time on Monday, marking his initial introduction to the legendary Italian team.
Lewis Hamilton has donned Ferrari colours for the first time
The 40-year-old Briton continued his integration with Ferrari on Tuesday, meeting team members and familiarising himself with the factory facilities.
“There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Ferrari driver, is one of those days,” Hamilton said after his maiden visit to Maranello.
Hamilton is set to make his on-track debut for Ferrari on Wednesday at the team’s Fiorano test track.
The test session will feature Hamilton driving an older Ferrari F1 car alongside teammate Charles Leclerc, with both drivers expected to sample the team’s 2022 and 2023 machines.
Sky Sports Italy will live-stream the historic moment via YouTube, giving fans their first glimpse of Hamilton behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
JUST IN: Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
Hamilton reflected on realising a long-held ambition as he embraced his new role with the Italian team.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realise that dream today,” he said.
“Today we start a new era in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see what story we will write together.”
READ MORE:England captain Jos Buttler reveals blunt reason for Afghanistan boycott rejection
Lewis Hamilton has joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season
Ferrari’s new car presentation is scheduled across two days, beginning with the F1 75 event in London on February 18.
The following day will see a filming day take place at the Fiorano circuit.
These events will precede the crucial pre-season testing in Bahrain, which is set to run from February 26-28.
The schedule marks the final preparations before Hamilton makes his competitive debut for the Scuderia in the 2025 season.
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Premier League strugglers Southampton have signed Denmark international midfielder Albert Gronbaek on loan.
The 23-year-old, who has six senior Danish caps, moves to St Mary’s from Ligue 1 club Rennes.
Gronbaek will spend the remainder of the 2024-25 season at Southampton, subject to international clearance.
He told the club website, external: “I’m just so excited. It’s a big club and I think the playing style is suiting me very well, so I’m just very pleased to be here.
“The facilities are very good and the stadium looks incredible. It’s even bigger and better when you come in person, so I’m just so excited to play there. I’m proud to be here.”
Gronbaek only joined Rennes from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt last summer in a 12m euros deal (£10m), but scored just two goals in 18 appearances for the French side.
He becomes the second player to join Southampton in this transfer window, following the confirmation of Brazilian defender Welington’s arrival from Sao Paulo.
But the pair face a tough ask to help drag Ivan Juric’s side out of danger as they sit bottom of the Premier League.
Southampton have just six points from their first 22 league games and are 10 points from safety.
City were charged and referred to an independent commission in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.
It is alleged City breached the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018. City strongly deny all charges.
The private hearing took place between September and December.
Norway striker Haaland has scored 112 goals in 127 games for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
It is understood clauses that existed in Haaland’s initial contract, which had been set to expire in 2027, have now been removed.
There have been reports of a break clause being inserted that takes effect in 2029, although that has not been confirmed by City or the player’s representatives.
Haaland’s deal is the longest in the Premier League, eclipsing the nine-year deal Cole Palmer signed with Chelsea last August.
“It is a really good sign,” added Haaland. “Of course it is a bit unusual, it is not normal and that is also something I like.
“It felt good for both parties and in the end it was an easy choice.”
Manchester City face Paris St-Germain in a crucial Champions League group stage match at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
Mohamed Salah: Liverpool striker scores 50th European goal for Reds
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