5 Mar 2021

Today's sports news: What you need to know

11:59 am on 5 March 2021

Latest - Chelsea back into EPL top four after win over Liverpool

Chelsea's French defender Kurt Zouma (C) celebrates after scoring the second goal during the English Premier League football match against Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in London on December 5, 2020.

Photo: AFP

Chelsea beat reigning champions Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield to climb back into the top four of the English Premier League.

Midfielder Mason Mount gave Chelsea the lead just before half-time curling a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

The win lifts Chelsea to fourth in the table with the London side now on an 11 game unbeaten run since manager Thomas Tuchel's appointment.

For the first time in history, Liverpool have now lost five consecutive home games with today's loss dropping them down to 7th in the table.

Brazilian striker Richarlison scored his fourth goal in four games to help Everton get their third win on the trot with a 1-0 victory against West Brom at Goodison Park.

Everton move to fifth in the table where they sit one point behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Tottenham beat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage to move to eighth in the table.

England's top order collapses in final test

England endured a top-order collapse before they registered a below-par 205 in their first innings in the fourth and final test against India in Ahmedabad.

Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli appealing for a wicket against Joe Root of England 2021.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

A sixth consecutive sub-200 total looked on the cards for the tourists after they slumped to 30-3 in the morning session.

Ben Stokes (55) and Dan Lawrence (46) propped them up but England might regret not making the most of the perfect batting conditions at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

India, who are 2-1 up in the four-test series, were 24-1 at stumps and will be confident against a spin-heavy England attack with James Anderson as the lone frontline seamer, while Stokes battles an upset stomach.

Rohit Sharma was batting on eight and Cheteshwar Pujara was on 15 with the hosts 181 behind.

India need a draw to secure their place in the June final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand.

-Reuters

Ferguson off to Leeds

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been picked up by Yorkshire for this season's T20 competition in England.

Blackcap player Lockie Ferguson celebrates a wicket.

Lockie Ferguson Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Ferguson is expected to be available to play in all of the Vikings' Vitality Blast North Group matches subject to any international involvement.

The 29-year-old bowler, who made his international T20 debut in 2017, was one of the standout players in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, taking 21 wickets across the tournament, including three in the final against England.

Ferguson said: "I'm really excited to have signed for Yorkshire for the upcoming T20 Blast. I have really fond memories of my time in the county game back in 2018 and look forward to getting back over to the UK.

"It's a big year for T20 cricket with the T20 World Cup towards the end of the year, so regular top level T20 cricket throughout the year, particularly at such a big county, is hugely beneficial."

Dragons leave out Folau

The French rugby league club Catalans Dragons have left controversial former Wallabies fullback Israel Folau out of their squad list for the 2021 Super League season.

Israel Folau returned to Australia from the Catalan Super League side.

Israel Folau returned to Australia from the Catalan Super League side. Photo: Photosport

Folau, a fundamentalist Christian who has triggered outrage with inflammatory social media posts in the past, was in talks to sign with Australian National Rugby League side St George Illawarra Dragons before negotiations ended after a backlash from supporters.

The 31-year-old's career was revived by the Catalans Dragons after he had his Rugby Australia contract torn up in 2019 for posting a meme on social media that said hell awaits "drunks, homosexuals, adulterers" and other groups.

The Dragons released their squad numbers for the new season with Folau, who is contracted to the French side until the end of 2021, the notable absentee.

He wore number four last season but that has been taken by former New Zealand international Dean Whare. The Dragons have left two squad numbers vacant, one of which Folau could take if he returns to the club. He is currently in Australia for personal reasons.

-Reuters

Woods didn't remember driving

Tiger Woods told responding police to his single-vehicle crash last week that he did not know how the accident happened and didn't remember driving.

USA Today cited a copy of the search warrant affidavit that was used by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to obtain the black box in the SUV Woods was driving.

The black box houses data related to speed and acceleration, braking sequence, steering angle changes and other instrument activity.

A sheriff's deputy said the warrant is a matter of course in LA County and considered part of the department's due diligence.

Woods, 45, required surgery to treat multiple injuries to his right lower leg following the accident.

-Reuters

Palace fullback abused online

Crystal Palace left back Patrick van Aanholt was subjected to racist abuse on Instagram following yesterday's Premier League draw at home to Manchester United.

Van Aanholt tweeted "Why we kneel..." with a photo of the racist messages he received on Instagram after the goalless draw at Selhurst Park, where he missed a 90th-minute sitter.

Players in the Premier League have been taking a knee before matches since July, initially in support of the "Black Lives Matter" movement before the Premier League and English Football League linked the gesture to their own anti-racism campaigns.

Manchester United trio Axel Tuanzebe, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, Chelsea's Reece James, West Bromwich Albion's Romaine Sawyers, Southampton's Alex Jankewitz and Arsenal's Willian and Eddie Nketiah have all been victims of online racist abuse in recent months.

The increase in online abuse of players has prompted English football bodies to put pressure on social media companies to tackle the problem.

Instagram has announced measures to deal with online abuse, including removing accounts of people who send abusive messages, and developing new controls to help reduce the abuse people see.

-Reuters

World Cup ticket sales about to start

A total of 2.6 million tickets will be available for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and the first phase of the ticket sales will start on March 15.

The France 2023 organising committee is aiming to make the Sept. 8 to Oct. 28 tournament the most accessible Rugby World Cup of all time after the match schedule was announced last week.

The tournament will be played across nine host cities, with matches located within a two-hour commute from 80% of the French public, organisers said.

During the pre-sales period, which runs until April 5, fans will be able to buy team and city packages on a first-come, first-served basis for the pool stage matches.

Real-time general sales will open on April 6, with the cheapest packages starting at 58 euros ($69.80) for all pool matches in Toulouse.

Fans will also be able to buy tickets through one of the 24 official travel agents who have 200,000 tickets reserved for the tournament.

-Reuters

Le Mans 2021 delayed

This year's 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance motor race has been postponed from June to August when spectators should be able to attend.

Last year's race at the Sarthe circuit in western France was held in September without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organisers said the 89th edition would now be on Aug. 21-22 instead of June 12-13.

"This year's race will see the new Hypercars make their on-track debut and the ACO thus remains extremely keen to have fans attend," the Automobile Club de l'Ouest said in a statement.

-Reuters