Football
The soap opera around Chelsea football club continues as Rafa Benitez’s reign could be nearing an end – three game s in.
Former Blues caretaker boss Avram Grant is being lined up to do the job properly ”work with” the Spaniard who has zero wins, two draws and one goal for his three games in charge so far. Chelsea take on FC Nordsjaelland in the Champions League on Wednesday night and while qualifying is not in their own hands - a failure to at least beat the Danish minnows could signal the end.
Martin O’Neill will be glad that Chelsea’s woes have – for the minute at least – deflected from Sunderland 2-1 loss at Norwich yesterday. That was the Black Cats fourth Premier League defeat in six games and the natives – and O’Neill – are getting restless. The club were quick to deny that he had offered his resignation after the 4-2 loss at West Brom last weekend and Sunday’s result will heap even more pressure on.
Alan Pardew was handed what looked the safest job in football when signing an eight-year-deal with Newcastle last September but the no wins in seven league games has taken the gloss of that PR stunt. Newcastle face Wigan in Monday night’s live game and will be expecting three points as the Latics have never won at St James’ Park.
Horse Racing
Willie Mullins’ Zaidpour went into a few notebooks as a potential challenger – in name at least – to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham next March with an impressive win in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.
It’s unlikely Ruby Walsh will be having too many sleepless nights over who to choose as the 16/1 shot in Paddy Power’s online betting has a long way to go before Walsh ditches four-time winner Big Buck’s who won his 18th race on the bounce at Newbury on Saturday. Paddy Power cut Paul Nicholls’ champion stayer to evens to win his fifth World Hurdle at the 2013 Festival.
Today’s racing comes from Plumpton, Kempton and Wolverhampton.
