Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after a hard-fought 2-1 win over 10-man Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners needed victory following Manchester City’s win over Leeds on Saturday, and they delivered with another strong performance from set-pieces.
Arsenal took the lead through William Saliba, who forced the ball home from a corner. It was their 15th league goal from a corner this season. Jurrien Timber later added the second, converting another delivery into the box to make it 16 goals from corners in this campaign.
Advertisement
Chelsea found an equaliser just before half-time, also from a corner. A dangerous cross from Reece James caused problems in the Arsenal defence and Piero Hincapie turned the ball into his own net under pressure.
The visitors’ hopes of a comeback suffered a major blow in the second half when Pedro Neto was sent off. The winger received a second yellow card for a foul on Gabriel Martinelli only minutes after being booked for dissent. It was Chelsea’s seventh red card in the league this season.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made several important saves to protect his side’s lead, including a late stop to deny Alejandro Garnacho. At the other end, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez endured a difficult afternoon and could have done better for Timber’s winning goal.
Advertisement
Chelsea were also left frustrated after a corner appeared to strike Declan Rice’s arm inside the box, but no penalty was given.
Despite late pressure from the 10-man visitors, Arsenal held firm to secure all three points. The result keeps them five points clear of Manchester City in the title race, although they have played a game more.
Chelsea remain in the battle for Champions League qualification but are now three points behind fifth-placed Liverpool.
Arsenal’s dominance from corners continues to be a key factor in their success this season, with their set-piece strength proving decisive once again.
Houston Astros star Carlos Correa detailed a harrowing ordeal he and his son faced on a Minnesota lake last summer.
Correa and his 3-year-old son were swimming in Lake Minnetonka when his legs began to cramp up. With his son clinging to him, Correa noticed a buoy a few feet away and swam to it in a last-ditch effort to stay alive.
Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sept. 12, 2025.(Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
He said he turned to God to help him through the strenuous time.
“’Lord, save me,’” he told MLB.com. “‘I promise you that if you save me from this one, I will serve you and I will serve you forever.’”
Correa wasn’t out of the woods yet when he got to the buoy. He slipped and fell under the water. As he struggled to stay above the water, he yelled out to a boat for help. Correa’s father-in-law, who was on the boat, noticed the MLB player struggling and swam out to help him.
Houston Astros infielder Carlos Correa works during spring training at CACTI Park of The Palm Beaches on Feb. 15, 2026.(Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
“I was like, ‘From that moment on, I’m going to serve you,’” Correa said he told God in that moment. “I am going to keep my promise. And from that moment, I’ve been fully devoted.”
Houston acquired Correa in a trade with the Minnesota Twins last July. It ended up being his second stint with the Astros as he continues to be on the team at the start of the 2026 season.
He played 51 games for the Astros in 2025, hitting .290 with six home runs.
Correa played eight years for the Astros from 2015 to 2021 before he signed a deal with the Twins. He was a two-time All-Star in his first run with Houston, won a World Series and was the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year.
Advertisement
Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa warms up for the Texas Rangers game at Daikin Park on Sept. 15, 2025.(Erik Williams/Imagn Images)
Prominent sprint filly Tempted has a barrier trial lined up this week to ensure she stays primed for her Sydney autumn carnival mission.
The three-year-old filly is entered in a 1000m trial at Hawkesbury come Monday or 1030m at Rosehill Tuesday, trainer Ciaron Maher favouring the latter pending track reports.
Chad Schofield remains her booked rider for whichever she contests.
“I’ll see what the tracks are like, but she will probably go to Rosehill,” Maher said.
Advertisement
Tempted was second to top-rated Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m) during last spring’s campaign, then broke through for Group 1 glory in a tenacious victory in Randwick’s Surround Stakes (1400m) on February 28.
Since that win, she’s been given time to stay fresh, and a trip to Maher’s Bong Bong yard recently confirmed her superb condition.
“I was down at Bong Bong during the week. I pulled her out of the paddock, and I thought, she’s going to jump out of the paddock, so I swiftly put her back away,” he said.
“She’s in great order.”
Advertisement
Her probable next outing is the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) over Randwick on April 11, yet trainer Maher keeps the door ajar for the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) the week before against older rivals.
“Maybe an Arrowfield or TJ. I will see what the other horses are doing,” he said.
Tempted is even money to win the Arrowfield, while offered at $8 in early TJ Smith fields.
Also trialling at Rosehill Tuesday is 2022 Everest champion Giga Kick, who ran a promising fourth behind Generosity in the Challenge Stakes (1000m) for Clayton Douglas.
Advertisement
He targets a rematch in the TJ Smith Stakes after running second to I Wish I Win in the race three years ago.
Compare betting sites for the top TJ Smith Stakes odds.
Brazil defender Gabriel Magalhaes has become the latest player from title-chasing Arsenal to withdraw from international duty with injury.
Six of the Arsenal first-team squad have now pulled out or been determined to be unavailable to represent their country in the international window that begins this week.
The Brazil Football Federation (CBF) said that Gabriel will miss the friendlies against France and Croatia, which will take place in the United States, because of “pain in his right knee”.
The CBF says that imaging tests confirmed the 28-year-old’s injury.
His fellow Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has withdrawn from the France squad, with Les Bleus also travelling to the US for their friendly matches against Brazil and Colombia.
England midfielder Eberechi Eze was called up to Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan but withdrew with a calf problem.
He suffered that blow in Arsenal‘s 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their Champions League last-16 second leg and missed the Wembley defeat on Sunday.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club are waiting for Eze to undergo another scan to find out the severity of his injury.
Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard is out of the Belgium squad for their matches against the USA and Mexico because of an injury issue.
Club captain Martin Odegaard was already ruled out of Norway duty because of a knee injury, while Dutch defender Jurrien Timber is also out of action at the moment.
Advertisement
Arsenal are competing to win their first Premier League title for 22 years and lead second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, by nine points.
They are next in action when they take on Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 4, before they play the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Sporting on April 7.
The Gunners resume their league campaign on April 11 when they play Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium.
Foden has now collected 18 trophies since breaking through into the first-team as a teenager and was called up to the expanded England squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
But there are question marks as to whether he will make the cut for this summer’s World Cup, while he failed to make it off the bench in last week’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie against Real Madrid, with City suffering a 5-1 loss on aggregate.
Speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United forward said: “I felt sad for him but not sad because he is coming on in a cup final.
“There was a game a few days ago when he didn’t even get on the pitch. If that was Max Dowman coming on at the end, you would think good experience. But to see Phil Foden coming on in a cup final, it felt like a charity sub to get him on the pitch.
Advertisement
“I don’t know what has happened, he is a top player. It feels strange he can’t get anywhere near the team. It feels like something has gone on there.
“I thought Foden was in good form but all of a sudden we haven’t seen him get any minutes. Firstly he will be pleased they won the cup but from a selfish point of view, he would have wanted to be out there and having an influence.
Arthur Fils delivered one of the most dominant performances of the tournament, crushing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6–0, 6–1 at the Miami Open 2026.
From the first point to the last, it was complete control. Tsitsipas had no answers as Fils dictated everything.
The win continues a remarkable trend. Fils is now 5–0 against Tsitsipas.
Advertisement
Even more impressive, this is only his fifth tournament since returning from injury, yet he’s already: into his second Miami Round of 16 won 9 of his last 11 matches
After the match, Fils didn’t hold back:
“That was the best match I ever played I think in my life. I played some great matches before, but this level was insane, man. I don’t know what to say. I’m very happy with the performance and hopefully I can keep this level til the end of the week.”
Advertisement
Asked if he’s fully back, his answer was simple:
“Oh man, I’m fully back. It’s like I never left ”
On the other side, Tsitsipas was visibly frustrated, even directing complaints toward the umpire about the conditions:
“You should be ashamed of yourself. Have you ever seen me serve and miss a forehand for 5 hours in a row? It doesn’t happen. I cannot see the ball. I don’t know how he sees the ball.”
John O’Shea says he is confident the Republic of Ireland can carry the momentum gained in November into Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final against the Czech Republic (19:45 GMT).
In danger of missing out, the Republic of Ireland pulled off stunning victories over Portugal and Hungary to reach this stage.
The 3-2 win in Budapest was a rare success on the road for the Republic of Ireland, but O’Shea has faith that the players can replicate that heroic performance and keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
“Without a doubt, but you have to reinforce that [idea of momentum] straightaway,” said O’Shea.
Advertisement
“The boss [Heimir Hallgrimsson] had a meeting with the boys this morning and we’ll reinforce that in the training sessions and video meetings we’ll have over the next couple of days to transport themselves back to that moment in Hungary, but then fast forward to what’s ahead of us in Prague, tough opposition but one we can have success against.”
The Republic of Ireland will set up a play-off final at home to Denmark or North Macedonia on 31 March with victory in Prague.
There are no fresh injury concerns from the weekend’s club action following Hallgrimsson’s squad announcement on Thursday.
“The boys are in a good place,” added O’Shea, who won 118 Republic of Ireland caps but was not included in the 2002 World Cup squad.
Advertisement
“Training today was almost reminding me of that cup final scenario. Everyone’s wanting to get into the team, the intensity, the noise and the atmosphere around the boys is brilliant.
“There’s a quiet confidence in the group growing together, it’s great to see but we know there’s a lot of hard work to come.”
LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Victoria Pelova of Arsenal during the Arsenal Women training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre on March 19, 2026 in London Colney, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal Women head into their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea Women with key absences ahead of their first-leg tie on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at the Emirates Stadium.
Defender Leah Williamson missed training due to a hamstring injury, having already been unavailable for the weekend’s league match against West Ham.
Her absence comes at a crucial moment, when Arsenal is preparing for a high-stakes European clash.
Advertisement
The squad is further stretched, with Australian trio Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross all unavailable following their involvement in the Women’s Asian Cup, where Australia reached the final.
Olivia Smith was also absent from the session, with further updates expected from manager Renee Slegers ahead of kickoff.
With several key players missing, Arsenal face a major test as they prepare to take on a strong Chelsea side in this Champions League quarter-final.
The Premier League relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire with four clubs seemingly battling to avoid the one remaining spot in the drop zone.
Perhaps Wolves or Burnley could still pull off the greatest of escapes but, in all likelihood, they will crash into the Championship and then be joined by one of Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.
Relegation for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history but their chastening 3-0 defeat to Forest in their final game before the March international break and Igor Tudor’s catastrophic spell in charge has made that a real possibility.
The north Londoners are currently 17th in the table, just a point above bitter rivals West Ham in 18th, while Forest and Leeds have a marginally greater cushion between them and the bottom three. But with seven games remaining for each, there will be plenty of twists and turns still to come.
Here’s how the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.
Where to pick up points? The fixtures have fallen fairly kindly for Leeds and the chances are there for them to secure Premier League football next season. Three wins would definitely be enough to survive and two may well do it, so they’ll be eyeing up home fixtures against the current bottom two – Wolves and Burnley – to get over the line. Away games against relegation rivals Tottenham and West Ham also look like prime opportunities to get results on the board.
Tricky contests? Their first game after the international break, away to high-flying Manchester United, is their toughest remaining fixture on paper and leaving Old Trafford with anything would be hugely impressive. That is their only game against a team currently above 10th in the standings but a trip to Bournemouth in April and hosting European football-chasing Brighton in their penultimate fixture won’t be easy. Will an FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham straight after the international break prove to be a welcome distraction or a hindrance?
Advertisement
Final straight? Leeds will be desperate to have secured safety by the time they travel to West Ham on the final day but if not, that could be a high-octane shootout for survival. Games against Brighton and Spurs immediately preceding that are too unfriendly as finales go.
Where to pick up points? The three points they picked up by securing their first Premier League win since late January by hammering Tottenham 3-0 in the final match before the international break could prove vital with a tricky-looking remaining schedule. A home fixture against seemingly doomed Burnley is a golden opportunity for Forest to collect three more points and one further win in addition to that could be enough to get over the line. A home game against a mid-table Bournemouth side who may have nothing to play for on the final day could be their best chance.
Tricky contests? Games against three of the current top six still await Forest with trips to Man United and Chelsea on the docket as well as Aston Villa heading to the City Ground just three days after Forest travel to Porto for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. A trip to Wearside to face this season’s surprise package Sunderland at the end of April is also a tough ask.
Advertisement
Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season far from ideal although, as mentioned above, hosting Bournemouth on the final day could offer a chance to snatch the points required if things aren’t wrapped up by then. A home match against a floundering Newcastle as their antepenultimate fixture could also be worse. Things could be complicated if they are still going in the Europa League by that point, however.
Nottingham Forest secured a vital win over Spurs (AP)
Where to pick up points? At the moment, Spurs can’t pick up points from anywhere… They haven’t won for 14 league matches, with their last Premier League triumph coming against Crystal Palace back in December and their most recent attempt being a 3-0 hammering by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest. On paper, a game away to Wolves at the end of April is a good opportunity for three points, as is a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium three matches from the end of the campaign, but every clash is tough currently. There’s a good chance they may have a new man in charge by the time they face Sunderland on 12 April though and how they could do with a new manager bounce.
Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their recent form, away games at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and Chelsea in May don’t look too fruitful. Even home fixtures with mid-table sides Sunderland, Brighton, plus top-half Everton suddenly look that much more dangerous as well.
Advertisement
Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide succour.
Tottenham’s loss to Nottingham Forest was hugely damaging (AFP/Getty)
Where to pick up points? Their impressive form since hugely damaging back-to-back defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year have seen West Ham go from doomed to having a genuine chance of survival. They may well be questioning exactly where the form that has seen them claim four wins and three draws from their last 10 league games was earlier in the season but if they can keep it going from here, then a home game against cellar-dwelling Wolves straight after the international break and a trip to struggling Crystal Palace to follow look like brilliant chances to rack up victories. Welcoming Leeds to the London Stadium on the final day also looms incredibly large.
Tricky contests? The Everton (H), Brentford (A), Arsenal (H) run from late April to early May does not look very friendly. The games before and after that run appear to be much better chances to pick up the points the Hammers need to pull off an impressive escape.
Advertisement
Final straight? If West Ham can get through that three-game stretch with a realistic shot at survival then an away game against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone. The final-day showdown against Daniel Farke’s side could be an all-time classic but won’t be a pretty watch if both sides are still fighting for their lives. However, the fact that the Whites are coming to the London Stadium at least plays into Nuno and co’s hands.
West Ham’s form since the turn of the year has given them a chance of survival (Getty Images)
Verdict?
This could genuinely go in any direction and you’d have to be a brave person to predict the outcome with any confidence.
It will surely all come down to the final day when West Ham host Leeds in a showdown for the ages, Spurs play Everton and Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth. Leeds generally have the kindest fixtures and although the goals have dried up for them recently, they should have enough to survive given the current cushion.
Forest could be adversely affected by their Europa League run and will probably need to have survival wrapped up going into the final couple of games, while West Ham’s crunch period comes straight after the international break. The next two fixtures could make or break the Hammers’ chances.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Spurs are in abject form and appear to be on the brink of ditching Igor Tudor. Could a new manager bounce prove sufficient? At this stage, we’ll say no and condemn Tottenham to the Championship for next season. But everything will change week by week.
2 min read Last Updated : Mar 22 2026 | 9:52 AM IST
Senegal’s team jersey will display only one star instead of two at the World Cup this summer, but it has nothing to do with the country being stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) issued a statement to clarify that production of the jerseys by kit manufacturer Puma began in August last year and “manufacturing deadlines and industrial constraints did not allow for the interruption of this ongoing process.”
Senegal went on to win the Africa Cup in January for its second continental crown after winning the 2021 edition, to which its first star refers.
Advertisement
But the Teranga Lions were surprisingly stripped of the second title on Tuesday when the Confederation of African Football’s appeals board ruled that Senegal forfeited the Jan. 18 final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorization, awarding Morocco a default 3-0 win.
The FSF made no mention of that decision in its statement, where it continued to refer to “our victory” and said it be reflected on the team jersey – after the World Cup.
“Aware of the Senegalese people’s legitimate attachment to their symbols, the FSF wishes to reassure all supporters: the new jerseys incorporating the second star are currently in production. They are scheduled to be available starting next September,” the federation said.
“The FSF apologizes for any misunderstanding this situation may have caused and thanks the supporters for their constant commitment, vigilance, and unwavering attachment to the national team.”
The FSF previously said it will appeal CAF’s unprecedented decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, a process that typically takes a year to deliver a verdict, while the Senegalese government slammed the “grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision” and called for an international investigation “into suspected corruption” within African soccer’s governing body.
Advertisement
CAF president Patrice Motsepe on Wednesday defended the body against perceptions of favoritism toward Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a soccer superpower.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
That was Ernie Banks, greeting the prospect of a doubleheader with the kind of boyish joy he was known to embody. Banks was a ballplayer, of course. But you can imagine how the sentiment might have translated to golf, especially in the company of Walter Hagen.
Hagen, the game’s original showman, approached life with a mix of competitive fire and carefree indulgence. He chased titles, bagging quite a few, including 11 majors, but he also chased experiences, often blurring the line between the two. One afternoon in 1920, having traveled to England’s Kent coast for the Open Championship, he and fellow pro Jim Barnes went all in on Hagen’s carpe diem ethos. They went out for a casual round, then decided that one round wasn’t enough.
Their solution was a rambling, fence-hopping odyssey across three storied links — Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Royal St. George’s Golf Club and Prince’s Golf Club — stringing together 54 holes in a single, freewheeling day that was perfectly on point for the Hagen brand.
Advertisement
More than a century later, that escapade lives on as the Hagen 54, an annual pilgrimage that is both a festive outing and an endurance test. Since its inaugural playing in 2025, the event has found a robust audience. The 2026 iteration is already sold out.
But entries are now open for the 2027 edition. The core golf format remains unchanged since Hagen and Barnes blazed their exuberant trail — 54 holes in one continuous push across the three courses — but modern comforts have been added, with caddies, sustenance and camaraderie carrying players from one property to the next. It’s golf on world-class venues, with on-course catering and someone to carry your bag if you’d like.
The 2027 event will take place July 21–22 on the Kent coast. Participants arrive on the evening of July 21 for a welcome reception and BBQ at Royal Cinque Ports, with optional golf that day at Prince’s or Royal Cinque Ports for those who want to warm up. The main event begins the following morning with a 5:40 a.m. shotgun start, playing in fourballs across the Hagen Route. It makes for an exhausting but exhilarating day. The entry fee is £1,125 per person (about $1,500) or £4,500 (about $6,000) for a foursome.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login