10/02/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | FEB 10, 2026

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Spurs in dire straits Tottenham are in a relegation battle, says former England captain Rooney A 2-0 DEFEAT by Manchester United stretched their winless Premier League run to seven games to leave Thomas Frank’s side 15th in the table and only “You can’t think that they’re not in a relegation battle where they are. I think they’ll definitely be looking over their shoulders.” the club - when he said it was “disgraceful” they only had 11 fit players for a 2-2 draw with Manchester City. “What doesn’t help is comments in the week before about the lack of players Tottenham have,” added Rooney.

managed Brentford for seven years before moving across London last summer to replace Postecoglou. “I feel for Thomas Frank because he looks tired, he looks like he’s aged 10 years,” he said. “That’s what that Tottenham job has done to him in a short period of time. I hope they stick with him because he’s fantastic manager, but I think it’s going be very difficult for them to do that. “And you don’t need your captain going out getting sent off on a regular basis or being as vocal as he was this week.” – Agencies

Captain Cristian Romero was sent off in the first half at Old Trafford for a late lunge on Casemiro, his sixth dismissal in a Spurs shirt. “I can see why it’s been given but I think it’s a little bit harsh,” said Rooney. “Sometimes you lose your head at times. And I think he’s done that throughout his time at Tottenham.” It came days after Romero’s social media post which seemed to criticise the people who run

six points above the relegation zone. Spurs finished 17th last season – leading to the dismissal of manager Ange Postecoglou, even after winning the Europa League. “You’d have to say they are (in a relegation battle) with their current form,” said the ex United striker on The Wayne Rooney Show . “West Ham have been in form, Nottingham Forest pick up results here and there.

“He clearly speaks his mind as well. But unfortunately, you’ve got to go and back that up with performances when you’re vocal like that - and I don’t think he’s done that. “All that’s going to do is bring more pressure on Thomas Frank.” Rooney has sympathy for Frank, who

MANCHESTER CITY’S crucial 2 1 victory over Liverpool ended in bizarre scenes at Anfield as Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity – despite City scoring a goal from that opportunity. Rayan Cherki thought he had scored a bizarre late, late third to cap a wild game, shooting from the halfway line with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker well out of his area – only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review, which led to Szoboszlai being sent off instead. The Hungarian international had tussled with Haaland as Cherki’s shot rolled into the empty net, and although referee Craig Pawson was initially happy for the goal to stand, he later changed his decision to a freekick and red card after consulting his pitch-side monitor. Premier League officials later explained that they had no choice but to rule out the goal, because Haaland’s foul on Szoboszlai effectively cancelled out the advantage played after Szoboszlai’s initial foul and meant the game had to be stopped before the ball crossed the line. Pawson explained to the Anfield crowd: “After review, there is a careless foul by Erling Haaland on the shirt of Dominik Szoboszlai. Prior to that, Szoboszlai commits a holding offence that denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The final decision is a direct free-kick to Manchester City and a red card.” Speaking on Sky Sports, co commentator Gary Neville said the officials should have ignored the rules and allowed the goal. “That feels so unjust,” Neville said. “I know there’s rules but there’s a smell of the game, that’s completely gone. There is no football person that would disallow that goal. “Talk about killjoy… You have just killed one of the great moments of the season.” – The Independent Why was Szoboszlai sent off? Ű BY LAWRENCE OSTLERE

SHORTS

PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé (centre) battles for possession with Marseille players during the yesterday’s Ligue 1 match at the Parc des Princes. – AFPPIC

PSG trounce Marseille to move back top

is important in terms of confidence.” Inter take eight-point lead FEDERICO DIMARCO provided three assists as Inter Milan thumped Sassuolo 5-0 yesterday to take their unbeaten Serie A run to 12 matches, while Pierre Kalulu scored deep into added-on time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Juventus against Lazio. Dimarco, who took his season’s tally to nine assists, also hit the wood work and cleared a certain goal off the line as Inter moved eight points clear of city rivals AC Milan. But he said he would not let his fine form go to his head. “I don’t feel like I’m anyone. In foot ball, when things are going well you’re a phenomenon, but when things go badly you’re nothing,” Dimarco said. “I keep working as I know how, I don’t think about anything else.” Inter have won 11 and drawn one of those 12 matches unbeaten. Centrebacks Yann Bisseck and Manuel Akanji both scored, alongside forwards Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez and Luis Henrique. Elsewhere, Juve staged a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to snatch a share of the spoils in Turin. Goals either side of the halftime break put visitors Lazio in control despite Juve’s domination up to that point. Juve kept pushing and US interna tional midfielder Weston McKennie reduced the arrears just before the

hour mark. And Frenchman Kalulu saved the day with virtually the last kick of the match. Earlier, Lecce moved three points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at home to Udinese, while Parma eased their relegation concerns with a 1-0 victory at Bologna thanks to Christian Ordonez’s 95th-minute goal. Magpies’‘harsh reality’ for Howe HOWE admitted he has got to arrest an alarming slide that has left Newcastle mired in the bottom half of the table. A run of one win in eight games has seen the Magpies’ defence of the League Cup comprehensively ended by City, Newcastle miss out on direct qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League and drop to 12th in the table. “There’s a harsh reality for me,” said Howe. “I think I’ve got to work better, I’ve got to do more. “I’ve got to take full responsibility for everything you see on the pitch and I’ve got to work out solutions.” The 48-year-old has plenty to pon der on whether he has hit a glass ceil ing on Tyneside. Despite being back by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, Newcastle have been hampered by financial sus tainability rules that have consistently left Howe frustrated at not being able to bolster his squad in the transfer market.

He has twice delivered Champions League football and won the club’s first domestic trophy for 70 years since taking charge just over four years ago. But he has been tipped to poten tially replace Thomas Tuchel as England boss after the World Cup and will not want his reputation sullied by a poor end to the season. La Liga ‘light years’ behind Premier League REAL OVIEDO midfielder Santi Cazorla complained Spain’s La Liga is a long way behind the Premier League yesterday, a day after his team’s match at Rayo Vallecano was postponed at short notice. Oviedo’s visit to Rayo’s Vallecas Stadium on Sunday was called off hours before the game with La Liga explaining the conditions were not safe for the players because of the state of the recently-laid pitch. “The reality is La Liga is light years behind the Premier League in every sense,” wrote former Arsenal play maker Cazorla on social media. Rayo players protested against their own club on Saturday in a state ment calling for improvements at Vallecas and better treatment of their fans. Yesterday, Oviedo called on the Spanish football federation (RFEF) to declare them winners of the match, yet to be rescheduled, although the request is widely considered unlikely to be successful.

OUSMANE DEMBELE struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain blew away bitter rivals Marseille yesterday, reclaiming top spot in Ligue 1 with a crushing 5 0 victory at the Parc des Princes. Dembele opened the scoring after just 12 minutes and added a second before half-time as PSG delivered a real statement of intent going into the defining months of the season. Facundo Medina’s own goal made it 3-0 before substitutes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Lee Kang-in got in on the act as PSG recorded their big gest-ever margin of victory over Marseille, avenging their 1-0 defeat at the Velodrome in September. “It was almost perfect. We made history,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, hailing Dembele for his “incredible” performance. “I said from the very first day he arrived that he’s a different kind of player. This season it’s been hard for him to get back to his level because of injuries. He’s very special.” PSG have now won seven straight league matches, although they remain under pressure from surprise challengers Lens, who briefly moved top on Saturday and sit just two points behind. “It’s not a message we’re sending, we’re a very consistent team,” added Luis Enrique. “We’re continuing along the same path as last year. We’re reaching the best part of the season, and this result