LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 26 READ OUR HERE /thesun Malaysian Paper The carvings are the real highlight of Thyme’s Christmas offering this year. The Yuletide Classic Afternoon Tea is available at ParkRoyal Collection throughout December. From left: The Santagria and Drunken Dirty Snowman are the highlights of the festive cocktails. The festive goodies and pastries available in the lobby. Cafe Chef Wan’s Christmas menu is available for dine-in, take-away and pre-orders. For those who cannot consume beef, the roasted chicken is a good alternative. There are six Cafe Chef Wan outlets spread across the vast Klang Valley. Though the turkey is subject to availability, theSun managed to try Thyme’s lamb leg and beef prime ribs, and let us just say they were perfect. Around medium-rare, both were juicy and flavorful, pairing perfectly with the accompanying mashed potatoes. On Christmas, Thyme will have a buffet brunch at RM218 per adult (RM318 for a free flow of soft drinks, beer and house wine) from 12pm to 3pm and a buffet dinner at RM288 per adult (RM388 for the same free flow) from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Those that top up an additional RM50 will have a free flow of bubbly. For families accompanied by young ones, children aged five years old and below will eat for free, while there will be a 50% discount for children between the ages of six and 11 years old. Christmas Carol performances will accompany patrons on the eve of Christmas and on the day itself Thyme will have another seafood buffet for New Year’s Eve on Dec 31 from 7pm to 11pm. It is not Christmas without the festive tidbits, cookies and deserts. ParkRoyal Collection has curated its selection of yuletide goodies for patrons to get. These include gingerbread cookies, stollen, Christmas pudding, fruitcake, chocolate pralines, chocolate figurines and more and they are available in the lobby. Additionally, throughout December, there will be festivethemed cocktails served at Skye Chill and The Botanist Lounge and Bar. Priced at RM60 for two cocktails and served with gingernut cookies, we recommend trying the two highlights, Sangria and the Drunken Dirty Snowman, before making your way to try Thyme’s offerings. Cafe Chef Wan Available only from now to Jan 2 next year, Cafe Chef Wan will be featuring a brand new Christmas menu that is a culmination of Chef Wan’s collective experience from travelling abroad. Through those experiences, Chef Wan and his team have recreated those flavours from overseas, with the cafe’s festive offering this year being its two highlights, the Jolly Flamed Ribs beef ribs and the Golden Roast Chicken. The heavyweight highlights are complemented by specialty Christmas cookies and pastries crafted with the same amount of care, such as the classic chocolate chip, strawberry thumbprint and oatmeal raisin cookies. In this season of giving, these cookies can also be gifted to others. Along with the cookies, there is Chef Wan’s Christmas Tree Croissant duo. Shaped like Christmas trees, the two croissants — Red Santa and Green Elves — are filled with a mix of banana cream, almond bits, ganache and hazelnut spread. To wash everything down, guests have the option of trying Cafe Chef Wan’s new colourful, iced beverages - Jolly Green Apple Slush and Frosty Berry Bliss. theSun joined selected food critics and influencers at the cafe outlet in Taman Tun Dr Ismail to try out the new Christmas menu in its entirety, and it cannot be said enough how impressed we were. While the roasted chicken was rather standard, the real highlight — From page 25 and something we all agreed on — was the Jolly Flamed Ribs, which is probably going to be the most popular option in the cafe for the entirety of December. Slow-cooked for hours overnight, the perfectly barbecued beef ribs quite literally fell off the bone and comfortably melted in the mouth. You often hear that perfectly cooked beef ribs are supposed to do exactly this, but then you try it somewhere and it is just mediocre. Chef Wan’s Jolly Flamed Ribs is the exact opposite. It is very much an international standard dish prepared and available locally and based on the affordable pricing, the ribs are definitely worth the price. As for the cookies, theSun would recommend the chocolate chip cookies over the strawberry thumbprint cookies solely because the latter is a little plain compared to the well-rounded flavours of a chocolate chip cookie. Swing by these malls and eateries if you want to enjoy the spirit of the festive season and taste the savoury delights as the year comes to an end.
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 28 Hovland quells LIV rumours World No. 4 doubts he would join Saudi-backed league’s no-cut format Mickelson, Ogletree complete LIV roster ANDY OGLETREE signed with HyFlyers GC, Phil Mickelson’s LIV Golf team yesterday. Ogletree replaces James Piot and rounds out a team that features Mickelson, Brendan Steele and Cameron Tringale. Piot was relegated after a poor season that saw him finish 47th in the individual standings. Ogletree, meanwhile, was among the players who competed at LIV’s inaugural event outside London in June 2022. He finished last in that event and was dropped by the league as it continued to add players. Ogletree, 25, turned to Asia and won the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit. He also made starts as a reserve for LIV and earned enough points to move into the “Open Zone” of the standings, allowing him to negotiate for a fulltime roster spot. “Andy is one of the most impressive young players in the game who has earned his spot on LIV,” Mickelson said in a statement. “The work he has continued to put in and the resiliency he showed this past year in creating his own success was awesome to see. “He makes the HyFlyers a contender next year and just as importantly, Andy fits in perfectly with everyone on the team.” Ogletree won the 2019 US Amateur. – Field Level Media KEEPING himself “grounded” with memories of his daughter, bereaved Nashville golfer Hayden Springer battled his way to a fourth-place finish at Q-School yesterday to earn a coveted US PGA Tour card. Last month, Springer and his wife Emma mourned the death of three-year-old Sage, their first-born child who was diagnosed prenatally with a severe developmental disorder. Sage was in Springer’s thoughts throughout the rain-delayed final round at TPC Sawgrass in Florida as the 26-year-old earned one of the PGA Tour cards awarded to the top five finishers. “It’s kind of one of those things that I think about her, and I just think about her smile,” Springer said. “Like that’s the thing that I can just close my eyes and think about her smiling, and it’s kind of a grounding, kind of gets you back to neutral. “Not thinking about golf, not thinking about the last shot, the next shot, just thinking about her and her smile.” Sage was never expected to make it out of hospital after her birth but was a “fighter”, Springer said. She survived major heart surgery at four months’ old and spent another two months in hospital before returning home for round-the-clock care. “She was just a very joyful girl, and she really loved her life,” her mother Emma said, wiping away tears in video posted on PGA Tour website. “I think she just inspired joy in a lot of people, really made a lot of people feel joy and smile just knowing her.” Springer, who has made only four PGA Tour starts since turning professional in 2019, booked his place at Q-School after topping PGA Tour Canada’s season-long Fortinet Cup race. Midway through his final round at Dye’s Valley course at Sawgrass, the Texas Christian University (TCU) golfer was well-positioned when a torrential downpour cancelled play on Sunday. He spent the rest of a nervous day with Emma, a nurse and fellow TCU golfer, and their one-year-old daughter Annie before returning yesterday. Springer said he had essentially worked his whole life for a day like Monday. “And you dream about it. It’s like you don’t know exactly when that day will come, but today is the day,” he said. – Reuters Springer earns PGA Tour card weeks after daughter’s passing ‘Joshua’s promoters don’t want to lose their cash cow’ FORMER world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder said the main reason he has not fought Anthony Joshua yet is because the British boxer’s promoters are afraid of losing their “cash cow”. The pair will fight separate opponents on the same bill at a mega-show in Riyadh on Sunday, with former WBC title holder Wilder taking on Joseph Parker and Joshua, the former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, facing Otto Wallin. Wilder and Joshua could fight each other next year if both win at the weekend, but while previous negotiations between the two camps reportedly broke down due to financial issues the American said that was not the case. “Money hasn’t been the issue,” he told BBC Sport. “It comes with not having the heart, the will, the courage to step in the ring. “I don’t really just blame it on Joshua. I blame it on his handlers, on his promotion and his management. Because let’s face it Joshua is the cash cow of the company. “Without him, no money is drawn into Matchroom. Not only do I feel Joshua is intimidated of me, but I feel his promoter is as well. That’s why the fight hasn’t happened.” Joshua, 34, said he is focused on the bigger picture. “I would love to fight for the IBF, and love to fight Deontay Wilder. Either are really good options,” Joshua said. “The championship is worth much more to me, that’s special, becoming three-time champion in the world. Then I’d defend it against Wilder.” – Reuters VIKTOR HOVLAND said he completely understands why Jon Rahm signed with LIV Golf, but the world’s No. 4-ranked player doesn’t plan to be the next marquee player to bolt to the Saudi-backed league. In an appearance on the Fore podcast in Norway, Hovland said he doubts he would bolt for LIV, mostly due to the league’s no-cut format. However, he acknowledged the enormous sum of money Rahm signed for – reported to be more than US$550 million (RM2.58 billion) including contract and signing bonuses – while taking aim at the “arrogance” of the PGA Tour’s leadership. “It would be a bit too silly to criticise the players for leaving. After all, you only hear one angle in the media, and there are quite a few different parts happening at the same time here,” Hovland said in Norwegian as translated by Eurosport Norway, per Golfweek. “I totally understand why he left. That’s a lot, a lot of money.” Hovland’s star status has taken off in 2023, highlighted by winning the FedEx Cup title in August and the US$18 million (RM84m) bonus that came with it. He also won the Memorial, the second leg of the playoffs at the BMW Championship and tied for second at both the PGA Championship and the DP World Championship. It has been an immensely rewarding year for Hovland on the course, but his earnings would be dwarfed by a potential offer from LIV. The 26-year-old asserted that the format still does not appeal to him. “I don’t think their product is that great. I’m not such a fan of, for example, playing without a cut,” Hovland said. “You need the competition with 150 players and a cut. If you don’t play well enough, you’re out. There is something about it that makes your game a little sharper. “If I had gone to LIV, I don’t think I would have become a better golfer. And then it is, in a way, end of discussion.” Hovland has committed to the season-opening The Sentry in Maui, which is a no-cut event, along with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the WM Phoenix Open and the Genesis Invitational. Rahm had similarly strong objections to LIV’s format before he signed with the league. He has been suspended from the PGA Tour, preventing the Spaniard from playing in The Sentry ahead of LIV’s first event of 2024. Could Hovland take a similar path as Rahm in the near future? “No, I doubt that,” he said. Hovland was also the latest to provide a blunt criticism of the PGA T o u r ’ s d e c i s i o n - makers. There is a Dec 31 deadline for the tour to finalise a deal with the Public Investment Fund. The framework agreement that also includes the DP World Tour was announced in June, to the surprise of the tour’s membership that was not involved in the closeddoor discussions. The secrecy of those talks generated significant anger from many players. “The management has not done a good job. They almost see the players as labour, and not as part of the members. After all, we are the PGA Tour. Without the players, there is nothing,” he said. “When you then get to see what happens behind closed doors, how the management actually makes decisions, which are not in the players’ best interest, but best for themselves and what they think is best. “They are not professional golfers after all. They are businessmen who say that, ‘No, it should look like this and that.’ There is a great deal of arrogance behind it all.” Tiger Woods has since joined the policy board and is heavily involved in the o n g o i n g discussions as the tour seeks investment for a new for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises. ESPN reported that more than US$3 billion (RM14b) would be injected by Strategic Sports Group into the new entity. – Field Level Media Hovland. – USATODAYPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 29 FIA cried Wolff Ferrari chief Vasseur digs out F1 governing body over ‘embarrassing story’ FERRARI team principal Fred Vasseur (pix) has called out the FIA over their handling of the investigation into F1 Academy director Susie Wolff and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. The governing body’s probe lasted just two days and was met with staunch opposition from all 10 teams on the grid. The investigation was sparked off the back of a report from Business F1 magazine, which claimed that some team principals had complained to the FIA regarding some comments made by the Mercedes boss during meetings in the paddock. Given his position as Susie’s husband and her position within the sport, alarm bells were ringing. Therefore, the FIA opened an investigation into the pair, prompting an extremely strong response from Susie and coordinated responses from all nine other F1 teams insisting that they had no issues or fears of a conflict of interest. The teams also said that they had not complained to the sport’s governing body about the connection. Speaking to Motorsport.com about the saga, Vasseur stated: “I think this story is quite embarrassing for our sport. The story started with an article in a newspaper, I don’t know if newspaper is the right word. “And I think in this situation when you are speaking about an individual, you have to take care of what you are saying. “I think it would have been appropriate from the FIA; they needed 24 hours between the announcement and the second announcement. It would have made sense to use the 24 hours before the first announcement (to investigate), to avoid any bad conclusions.” The Ferrari boss also pointed out how unusual it was to have all 10 teams united on an issue with even Toto’s long-term rival Christian Horner pledging his support for the Mercedes team principal and his partner. “After the ‘incident’ at least the teams were very united,” Vasseur continued. “The first conclusion for me is that we were able to act together and it’s not very often that even Red Bull was supportive of Toto! “And honestly, I think it’s a good point for us also to take (a) position and to discuss with the other stakeholders. I think it’s the first time the teams together showed something like this.” After just two days of investigating the duo, the FIA released a statement reading: “The FIA can confirm that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual. “As the regulator, the FIA has a duty to maintain the integrity of global motorsport. The FIA reaffirms its commitment to integrity and fairness.” – Express Newspapers Raducanu advised to take drastic action to kickstart career EMMA RADUCANU has been advised by Tim Henman to drop down into Challenger events to kickstart her career. Raducanu defied the odds to win the US Open in 2021 at the age of 18 but has failed to live up to her early promise and has since struggled to recapture that form amid a succession of injury problems. Raducanu became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam when she saw off Leylah Fernandez in the showpiece event at Flushing Meadows. The Bromley-born star won three qualifying matches and all seven of her showdowns in the main draw without losing a single set as she took the tennis world by storm. The 21-year-old, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon just two months before her triumph in New York, has failed to make it beyond the second round of any of the Majors since tasting Grand Slam success. And she hasn’t played a competitive match since losing to Jelena Ostapenko at the Stuttgart Open in April. Raducanu underwent surgery on both her wrists and an ankle in the spring but could be set to play at the Australian Open in the New Year. However, the star could be forced to play in qualifying just to reach the main draw. And Henman told Eurosport: “I think for me, any event that she’s going to play is great. If it’s qualifying at the Australian Open, great. “If she gets into the main draw, great. If she’s going to drop down and sort of play smaller WTA events, Challenger events, ITF events, it does not matter. “Just to be on the court competing and staying injury free, that is the biggest tick in the box that Raducanu could have.” – Express Newspapers FORMER Renault team principal Flavio Briatore has admitted that he is not enjoying Max Verstappen’s ongoing domination of Formula 1. The Red Bull driver raced to a third consecutive world championship title, comfortably beating teammate Sergio Perez to the grand prize in 2023. The 26-year-old keeps on setting records on the circuit, having followed up 15 wins in 2022 with 19 wins in 2023 to end the season with the most victories in a single campaign ever for any driver. Incredibly, a combination of the superstar’s ability and the Red Bull car’s design helped him to pick up 575 points – which equates to 92.74% of those available at the start of the season. The reigning Drivers’ Championship victor is well on the path to becoming one of the all-time greats and his success looks set to continue as he is set to remain with Red Bull until 2028. Despite his heroics over the past three years, Briatore appeared apathetic about the star’s triumphs when speaking to Autosprint. He said: “The Red Bull team is extremely strong and Max Verstappen is doing nothing wrong. “He is an extraordinary driver. Max Verstappen is really one with his car, especially when we consider that Sergio Perez has the same car. You really see the difference with Verstappen, who does extraordinary things. “Unfortunately, Max Verstappen ruined the world championship a bit,” he controversially contended. “I hope there will be more excitement next year, otherwise, it won’t be fun anymore. But Red Bull has an advantage that I think is difficult to undo at the moment.” Verstappen could not hide his delight after he secured yet another world championship. He told Sky Sports: “It’s been an incredible year. Super proud of the job of the team. To be three-time world champion is just incredible.” Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner confessed: “I mean certainly, there were three races where he could have been better but that was beyond his control. “So, I mean what an unbelievable year he’s had, he’s just been absolutely incredible so he’s impossible to fault the season that he’s had, he encouraged as he aimed to keep Verstappen hungry going into the next calendar year,” adding: “Keep doing what you’re doing!” – Express Newspapers Verstappen ‘ruined’ F1 season: Briatore Alcaraz suffers Australian Open blow CARLOS ALCARAZ’S coach Juan Carlos Ferrero will not travel to the Australian Open next month. The 43-year-old has been in his star’s corner since 2019 when Alcaraz turned professional at the age of 16. Together they have racked up six ATP and two Grand Slam titles. However, Ferrero is set to undergo knee surgery and will miss the first Major of the 2024 campaign, according to Marca. Samuel Lopez, who is the coach of fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, will travel with Alcaraz instead. The pair worked together earlier this year when Alcaraz won the Queen’s title ahead of his run to the Wimbledon title. Alcaraz is currently undergoing an intensive five-week pre-season training programe to ensure he heads Down Under in top shape. Ferrero likes to keep his client in check and sent a stark warning after completing the 2023 season. He said: “After the US Open, our level dropped a little and in that regard, we have to improve. We have to focus more on being professional all the time. We know what we have to improve in his game and psychology. “That is normal for a 20-year-old, and he needs to mature in that area. He tends to be hard on himself, which is something that we all think is great. We like it. “To be a great professional, you have to stay on top of every aspect. You have to do what is necessary at all times; train at the right time, enjoy yourself at the right time, and disconnect at the right time. He has to improve on certain things, which he knows, and he is trying.” Alcaraz responded: “A few days ago I read an interview in which Juan Carlos said that I had to learn that the season is from January to November. That couldn’t be more true. Maybe I struggled to handle the last part of the season. “As I said, I have so many things to improve on, and that’s one of them. Learning that a tennis player’s season doesn’t end in June, August and September, it carries on until November.” – Express Newspapers Toto and Susie Wolff. – AFPPIX Verstappen. – REUTERSPIX Raducanu
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 30 JHON ARIAS and John Kennedy scored in the second half to give Brazilian side Fluminense a hard-fought 2-0 win over Egypt’s Al-Ahly in their Club World Cup semifinal at King Abdullah Sports City yesterday. The Copa Libertadores champions will face the winners of Manchester City’s semifinal against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds in Friday’s final in Jeddah. It was a compelling encounter, with an aggressive Fluminense dominating possession, but often being exposed by AlAhly’s counterattacks. Colombia winger Arias was a constant menace, running up and down the right channel and hitting the post twice in the first half. However, Africa’s champions Al-Ahly wasted several opportunities, using the speed of Kahraba and Percy Tau to launch quick counters. Coached by Brazil caretaker manager Fernando Diniz, Fluminense finally managed to break the deadlock thanks to former Real Madrid fullback Marcelo, who nutmegged a defender, hitting the ball through his legs, to get into the box before being fouled from behind. Arias slotted the penalty just inside the right post and out of the reach of goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy in the 71st minute. “I always try to do something different (the nutmeg). I’ve always tried in my whole career,” Marcelo told Brazilian TV Globo. “At that moment, the game was in deadlock. I didn’t even think about a nutmeg, it happened, I thought about dribbling to get inside the area. “So I managed to get in front of him and he fouled me… It wasn’t thought out, it came on the spot and it was nice.” As Al-Ahly tried to push for the equaliser, they were left exposed and Fluminense took advantage with substitute Kennedy adding a second in the 89th minute with a strike to finish off a counter attack. – Reuters @thesundaily FOLLOW ON Malaysian Paper INSTAGRAM Reds missing vital piece Klopp’s midfield still developing despite record amount of shots at Onana’s goal ANOTHER game against Manchester United, another record. After Liverpool’s biggest win against historic rivals came the Premier League match where they compiled the most shots without scoring. Some 34 brought frustration but no celebrations, a first game without a goal in eight months and the kind of words from Jurgen Klopp that implied Liverpool were more dangerous than in March’s 7-0 demolition. “I can’t remember this kind of dominance against Manchester United,” he said. Arguably, Liverpool were superior in the 2018 win that finished off Jose Mourinho, and not merely because they had 36 shots that day. They had a mere 18 in the 7-0, though shot count is far from the only measure of excellence. Perhaps the most emphatic of all was when they went 5-0 up in 50 minutes at Old Trafford in October 2021. But while Klopp touted Liverpool’s best counter-press with this team, it came in a stalemate. “We tried everything and the numbers we created – in terms of shots – is crazy,” Klopp reflected. “But with that amount of shots they should be a few more on target. Today was easy saves for Andre Onana pretty much because the ball rolls into his arms.” As Liverpool had scored in their previous 34 matches, as their season has already produced 58 goals, this was a one-off in most respects. They do not have a finishing problem. And yet there are a few elements to consider. In their last five league games, Mohamed Salah is the only forward to score. He has 12 goals against United in the 2020s alone but when he drew a blank, no one compensated. Luis Diaz has not recaptured his early-season form; understandably, given his personal torment. Darwin Nunez remains the great wildcard and for the first time since he was injured, they may have missed the quicksilver Diogo Jota. Klopp sought to turn game-changer, playing tactical tinkerman. He made his now signature substitution of bringing on Joe Gomez to move Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. Perhaps he could have started with Curtis Jones or used the resident super-sub Harvey Elliott earlier. “We tried pretty much everything, changed system, brought on fresh players and everything could have worked out if we made just this one better decision. “We played a team who played man-marking. Each little tweak can make a massive difference if you can use it. “If we score an early goal, it would have been great, it would have changed everything.” A reason why Liverpool are title challengers is that their midfield rebuild has proceeded more smoothly than many expected. But it remains a process, that there are imperfections. Wataru Endo is a limited player, a stopgap. He was not particularly poor but Liverpool may have missed Alexis Mac Allister’s greater creativity from the base of the midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai made a magnificent start to life at Anfield; in recent weeks, his form has dipped a bit. “After the first impression he made obviously, it was always clear things will not always go like this,” Klopp said. “He is still a very young boy but he was exceptional today in a lot of situations in the game.” Szoboszlai was the first player substituted. It was the earliest he has been removed in a league game. The Hungarian mislaid too many passes. “If you talk about the performances are not that convincing, it is my job to improve that,” Klopp said. “We are exactly where we belong because of the performances we have.” That is in the title race, but now knowing they may rue an inability to beat United. – The Independent Fluminense reach Club World Cup final IN the wake of Tom Lockyer’s collapse during Luton’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth, former England cricketer James Taylor believes it is important to continue heart screenings in sport. Taylor’s own career was cut short because of a heart condition, and he was forced to retire in 2016 aged just 26, with a similar issue to the one that affected footballer Fabrice Muamba. At the time Taylor had played seven Tests and 27 one-day internationals for England. “Screening processes do a fantastic job but we can always be better,” Taylor said, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast following Lockyer’s collapse. “It is a really sad case and thankfully Tom has got great care where he is now. “Screening protocols in whatever sport clearly need to be worked on and improved always.” Lockyer collapsed on the field on Sunday, causing the game to be cancelled, while the player was taken to hospital. The club issued an update on Sunday saying their club captain was “still undergoing tests and scans and is awaiting the results before the next steps for his recovery are determined”. Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 and subsequently was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device. Serie A rules would not allow Eriksen to play with an ICD and he left Inter Milan by mutual consent and was allowed to play in the Premier League joining Brentford on a free before signing for Manchester United in July 2022. In the wake of the Eriksen collapse, a Football Association spokesperson explained: “In England, any player that has an abnormal cardiac screen or who develops a cardiac problem would be assessed by a sports cardiologist. “In Italy, there is a longstanding nationwide cardiac screening policy which runs across all sports participation and does not allow participation in a case of increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest during exercise.” One thing remained certain, the FA would not ban someone from playing based on the results of a cardiac screen. The statement at the time added: “Any risk is to the player themselves and not to others on the pitch, so it is an individual decision which the player takes with support and advice from those who are responsible for their personal medical wellbeing.” – The Independent Taylor calls for heart screening improvement █ BY RICHARD JOLLY █ BY SONIA TWIGG Man City fined by FA MANCHESTER CITY have been fined £120,000 (RM713,047) by the Football Association after their players surrounded a match official during their dramatic 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League earlier this month. Several City players surrounded referee Simon Hooper late in the game on Dec 3 after he stopped play when Jack Grealish was through on goal for a foul on Erling Haaland in the build-up, having previously waved play-on. “Manchester City FC admitted that they failed to ensure their players did not behave in an improper way during the 94th minute. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed this sanction following a hearing,” the FA said. Sunderland appoint new head coach SUNDERLAND have appointed former Rangers boss Michael Beale as their new head coach to replace Tony Mowbray, the English Championship club said yesterday. Sunderland sacked Mowbray after 15 months in charge in early December. Rangers parted ways with Beale after results this season fell short of expectations. “Beale has signed a contract until summer 2026 at the Stadium of Light and started his role on Monday, returning to coaching two months after leaving Rangers,” Sunderland said in a statement. The Black Cats are seventh, just outside the playoff places, and host Coventry on Saturday. Messi to play against Old Boys in friendly LIONEL MESSI is expected to line-up against his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys after the Argentine team agreed to a pre-season friendly game at Inter Miami in February. The Major League Soccer club announced yesterday that they would host Newell’s at their DRV PNK Stadium on Feb 15. Inter coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino also hails from the city and played for the club in three spells before returning as the team’s coach in 2012. “I am delighted to welcome my beloved Newell’s to our home here in Miami. It will be a special match due to everything Newell’s Old Boys means to me,” Martino said. “It will also be a good opportunity to prepare for what will surely be an exciting season,” he added. The fixture is the latest in a busy pre-season schedule for Miami who will kickoff the preparations by facing the El Salvador national team in San Salvador on Jan 19. The club will then play two games in Saudi Arabia, including against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, before games in Hong Kong. SIDENETTING Manchester United’s Andre Onana (centre), Sofyan Amrabat(2nd right) and Diogo Dalot (left) in action with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz. – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 31 KUALA LUMPUR (KL) City FC’s striker Romel Morales stand a chance to don the Malaysian jersey for the first time after being called up to attend the Harimau Malaya centralised training camp ahead of the Jan 12-Feb 10 Asian Cup Finals in Doha, Qatar. The 26-year-old, from Colombia, is among the 26 players called up by head coach Kim Pan Gon for the centralised training camp at Wisma FAM (Football Association of Malaysia) from Dec 26. Morales, who netted 15 goals in the recently-concluded Malaysia League (M-League), is the fourth player in the Harimau Malaya list this time, the others being his KL City teammate Paulo Josue and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) duo Endrick Dos Santos and Mohamadou Sumareh. Based on the team list, Pan Gon has retained 22 players from the 25-man squad who recorded two victories in the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan last month. Apart from Morales, the other three new faces in the training squad are JDT’s Mohamed Syamer Kutty Abba and Natxo Insa, who is of mixed heritage, and Selangor FC’s Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee. “A total of 19 players have been place on standby in case there are any changes to the (26-player) list. Two players, Shahrul Nazeem Zulpakar and Azam Azmi Murad, could not be called up due to injuries,” FAM said in a statement today. In the Asian Cup Finals, Malaysia will begin their Group E campaign against Jordan on Jan 15, followed by Bahrain on Jan 20 and two-time champions and hot favourites South Korea on Jan 25. Pan Gon aims to help Malaysia create history by qualifying for the Round of 16 for the first time in Malaysia’s fourth appearance in this prestigious Asian football tournament. – Bernama ABM drops three men’s singles shuttlers THE Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) has dropped three men’s singles players – Lee Shun Yang, Chia Jeng Hon and Rex Hooi Shao Heng. National men’s singles coach Hendrawan said the decision was made based on their performance in international tournaments and during training sessions. “This is very difficult as we usually drop one or two players only. Their performance was evaluated based on their performances in tournaments and data,” he told a media conference on the assessment of the national players in the ABM in Bukit Kiara yesterday. Hendrawan said Shun Yang, however, will be allowed to train at the academy, in addition to being offered a role as a sparring partner. The 51-year-old coach said that ABM had also taken an approach to divide the existing players into two groups – A and B. Group A will comprise Ng Tze Yong, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe while Group B will consist of Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar, Chua Kim Sheng, Ong Ken Yon, Ong Zhen Yi and Jacky Kok. Hendrawan said the difference between the two groups is that the shuttlers in Group A will compete in 12 to 14 tournaments a year while those in Group B will have their participation reduced to about four to six only. “They can improve their position to be included in Group A, on condition they produce good results when we send them for tournaments,” he said. Meanwhile, ABM holds to the principle of not spoiling any players as it could affect them negatively in any future championship they compete in. Coaching director, Rexy Mainaky said such an approach would ‘kill’ the player’s career and infleunce mental strength and stunt the development of the national squad. “People sometimes say to rise up stronger but we don’t know how the players interpret that. It’s not that I don’t like it, but sometimes players need criticism,” he said at a media conference on the national players’ assessment in ABM, Bukit Kiara here today. He said players deserved to be criticised if they didn’t perform as hoped as it could serve as a benchmark for them to improve their performance in the future. – Bernama PREMIER LEAGUE players from clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool are spearheading the latest instalment of the League’s “Boot Out Piracy” campaign, to raise awareness with Malaysian fans of the risks and detrimental effects of streaming illegal content. Launched yesterday for the fourth season in Malaysia, this year’s campaign features Premier League stars including Casemiro (Manchester United), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Julio Enciso (Brighton & Hove Albion), Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest). In a series of videos which will appear across digital channels, the players highlight how those who access Premier League content through unofficial websites or streaming devices leave themselves vulnerable to the threat of cyberattacks, including harmful malware and ransomware. This poses the danger of scams, data theft, fraudulent activities, and also means they are likely to watch matches on unreliable and poorquality streams. The Premier League works closely with local authorities throughout Asia and across the world to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices, including ongoing efforts with Malaysia’s law enforcement to prosecute illegal streaming device vendors. The League commends the work of the Malaysian government regulators in their continuing efforts in targeting sports piracy syndicates operating in territory. Collaborative efforts between the Premier League and Malaysia’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) have resulted in nearly 300 of the most popular pirate domains for viewing illegal Premier League content being blocked, a testament to the Malaysian government’s commitment to upholding the interest of consumers and intellectual property rights. Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb said: “We know how passionate fans in Malaysia and across Asia are about Premier League football. Through the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign, we continue to highlight the significant risks of watching matches through illegal streams. “Our advice to Malaysian football fans is to not put their online safety at risk and to watch Premier League football in the best possible quality through our official broadcast partner.” In Malaysia, the Premier League works in collaboration with local broadcast partner Astro on the “Boot Out Piracy” campaign. The campaign will be featured across broadcast channels, social media, websites and YouTube across Asia. ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign returns NOTTINGHAM FOREST are set to appoint former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo in the next few days, with the Portuguese 49-year-old replacing current manager Steve Cooper. MANCHESTER UNITED, Fulham, West Ham and AC Milan had scouts at Allianz Arena on Sunday to watch Stuttgart’s 27-year-old Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy in his side’s 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich. MAN UNITED football director John Murtough was in Saudi Arabia for transfer talks this month with the club willing to sell England winger Jadon Sancho, 23, French centreback Raphael Varane, 30, French forward Anthony Martial, 28, and Brazil midfielder Casemiro, 31. BUT Varane is hopeful Manchester United will trigger the one-year extension in his contract. BARCELONA are ready to listen to offers for Brazil winger Raphinha, 27, with Manchester United considering proposing a swap deal involving the former Leeds United player and Sancho. NEWCASTLE UNITED sporting director Dan Ashworth is the Ineos Group’s prime choice to assume the role at Manchester United, although they remain open to retaining Murtough. TOTTENHAM have held talks over a potential move for 23-year-old Nice and France centreback Jean-Clair Todibo. WOLVES are poised to report financial losses of £65m (RM386m) but will target up to two new signings in the January transfer window. Viktoria Plzen forward Rafiu Durosinmi, 20, remains a £7m (RM42m) target, although Eintracht Frankfurt also want the Nigerian. FULHAM are weighing up a January bid for Montpellier’s 23-year-old Nigerian forward Akor Adams. BARCELONA could terminate Clement Lenglet’s Aston Villa loan in the January transfer window and then try to sell the 28-year-old France defender, with AC Milan interested. CHELSEA are prepared to sell left-back Ian Maatsen in the January transfer window, with Man City, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Roma interested in the 21-year-old Dutchman. CHELSEA have no intention of letting 21-year-old English winger Noni Madueke leave on loan in January. ARSENAL and England keeper Aaron Ramsdale, 25, has been linked with Chelsea but the Blues are unlikely to sign another stopper in January, despite Spain’s Robert Sanchez, 26, facing a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. JUVENTUS have opened talks with Manchester City about signing England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, 28. BAYERN MUNICH and Germany forward Thomas Muller, 34, is close to signing a new contract with the club. BAYERN have called off a January move for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo but could reassess signing the 24-year-old Uruguay international next summer. PARIS ST-GERMAIN’S France forward Kylian Mbappe, 24, and boss Luis Enrique’s relationship has deteriorated. BARCELONA president Joan Laporta says the club will target a loan midfielder in January in a deal similar to the one that brought Edgar Davids to the club in 2004. REAL MADRID midfielder Toni Kroos, 33, is considering coming out of international retirement to play for Germany at Euro 2024. TOUCHLINES KLCFC’s Romel Morales (front, left) is challenged by Tampines Rovers’s Shuya Yamashita in the AFC Cup Group H match at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium. – BERNAMA FILEPIX Morales boost KLCFC striker set to give Harimau Malaya more bite in Asian Cup Finals
theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] LIVERPOOL captain Virgil van Dijk insists he was not being arrogant in dismissing Manchester United’s overly defensive display at Anfield. The Dutchman provoked a response from former United midfielder Roy Keane when he said only one team played to win. Keane said the comments were arrogant and disrespectful, adding that Van Dijk needs to reminder himself that Liverpool have won the Premier League only once. “It’s arrogance. You still have to go out and do it. That’s what the great teams do. Liverpool have won the League once in 30 years,” Keane said as per the Daily Mail. “We played Liverpool many times when they were struggling. You find different ways to win a football match. “United had one or two chances. I thought they were under pressure, they sat in and played to the strengths they had to. “Arrogance comes into football where you’re disappointed with a draw. The most important statistic is the scoreline. “Liverpool had opportunities and they didn’t take them. That’s their own fault, nothing to do with how Manchester United set up or their injuries. I think he’s out of order.” Van Dijk insisted there was honesty but no arrogance in his words on a frustrating afternoon where Liverpool had 34 shots but failed to score for the first time since April. “I like Roy Keane, if he said that then it’s fine,” he said. “He is Man United throughout and I understand he could react like that but I felt what I said and there is absolutely no arrogance in that. “Everyone w h o watched t h e g a m e probably felt the same. We move on. We had the opportunity and we couldn’t score and that’s the frustrating part.” For the first time since April Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to score, ending a club recordequalling run of 34 successive matches, and the 34 shots they attempted was their most on record (since 2003-04) without scoring. Striker Darwin Nunez has not found the net in 10 matches, Mohamed Salah, who scored 10 in 12 League games before November’s international break, has just one in the last five, Luis Diaz has scored once in the League since mid-August while Cody Gakpo’s two League goals were both in September. December is the worst time to lose your form with the number of fixtures during the month and Van Dijk admits the players may have been trying just too hard against their arch-rivals. “Maybe (we were) trying to force it a little bit at times and we could have made a better decision but it was hard to break the low block down,” he added. “You push, you push, you push and try to do everything in your power but it was one of those days we couldn’t find the right decision to score a goal. “At times – I won’t say every time – we forced it too much to find a solution which wasn’t there but that’s football.” There is no time to dwell on the disappointing result which cost them top spot as West Ham are the visitors (tomorrow 4am Malaysian time) for the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup, a competition Liverpool won in 2022. “We move on and have to learn from a lot of moments – and we will – and focus on Wednesday,” said Van Dijk. “Let’s go for it. It’s the first trophy that could be in reach and it will be a very tough game as West Ham are also in a good moment with good players.” – The Independent █ BY CARL MARKHAM SCAN ME WEDNESDAY | DEC 20, 2023 or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME Malaysian Paper Read iPaper at Malaysian Paper Malaysian Paper Virgil strikes back Van Dijk responds to Keane’s ‘arrogance’ criticism after stalemate Virgil van Dijk Hovland quells LIV rumours -Story - on page 29 Story on page 28 FIA cried Wolff -Story on page 30 Reds missing vital piece