LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 25 I T has been revealed that Antipodean actress Milly Alcock has been cast to play Supergirl in the new DC Universe being developed by Warner Bros and DC Films CEO James Gunn. This was confirmed on Jan 30 by Gunn through his personal Instagram account. The post included a picture of Alcock and the front cover of the comic book Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Alcock was previously seen in the first season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, where she briefly played the fiery Rhaenyra Targaryen for five episodes. Though Alcock will headline the film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow at a later date, she will make her debut in 2025’s Superman: Legacy, which will properly kick off the new DCU by introducing Supergirl’s cousin, Clark Kent played by David Corenswet, who is Superman, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and a slew of other characters. The Woman of Tomorrow film currently does not have a director attached to it or an estimated release window. Prior to Alcock’s casting, the film’s latest development was back in November last year, when it was revealed writer Ana Nogueira would be penning the film’s screenplay. Alcock gained international recognition outside Australia after appearing in House of the Dragon. – HBO █ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR Career insights from Korean emcee LEE Seung Gi, in a recent conversation and photoshoot with Arena Homme Plus magazine, took a retrospective look at his accomplished career and outlined his aspirations for the times ahead. Having flourished in diverse domains such as acting, singing, variety shows and hosting over the span of his 20-year career, Seung Gi reflected on his journey. As one of the country’s premiere MCs, he acknowledged the role of luck in the timing of one’s career, emphasising the significance of hosting experience. According to him, being part of a nationally recognised programme that becomes a hallmark of its era contributes to the invaluable experience of an MC. Sharing his personal philosophy and future plans, Seung Gi opened up about the importance of maintaining authenticity and sincerity in his work. He emphasised the need for continuous action, stating that regardless of circumstances, it is crucial not to rest. His outlook is centred on perpetual progress and engagement in enjoyable pursuits, as he aims to persistently move forward in his professional journey. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Seung Gi is a versatile South Korean entertainer with a successful career in acting, singing and hosting. – ALLKPOP oAlcock to play Krypotonian in new DCU New Supergirl Atif’s homecoming to Hindi identified cinema REMEMBER the song Pehli Nazar Mein in the 2008 movie Race? Well, the melodious voice behind the song, Pakistani singer Atif Aslam, is making a comeback in Bollywood. The singer has performed on many hit soundtracks and, after an eight-year hiatus, is making a return to Hindi films. The reason for the absence is a ban on Pakistani artists by the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association following a deadly attack in 2016 on Indian armed forces in Kashmir, believed to be carried out by militants from Pakistan. However, the Bombay High Court has dismissed this petition to ban Pakistani artists, thus allowing the 40-year-old singer to once again lend his voice to Indian cinema. Atif has sung in a variety of languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali. His immediate project will be Love Story of the 90s, a film directed by Amit Kasaria that features Adhyayan Suman and Miss Universe Diva, Divita Rai, in the lead roles.- S. TAMARAI CHELVI Popular Pakistani singer Atif is making a comeback to Bollywood. - INSTAGRAM FIRST-TIME National Award winner Kristi Sanon feels vindicated by her choice to take on the challenging role of a surrogate mother in the movie Mimi. Her co-star and veteran actor, Pankaj Tripathi, also received the Best Supporting Actor National Award for the same film. Kristi has since revealed that being honoured with a Best Actress National Award has given her a sense of confidence, as it is a validation of her talent. She also said that winning the award has changed her mindset about tackling challenging roles and that she is no longer adverse to taking a bit of risk when selecting parts. Her next project is Teri Baaton Mein Aise Uljha Jiya, where she will play the part of an AI robot called Sifra. The movie is expected to be released on Feb 9. - S. TAMARAI CHELVI Kristi’s best actress win Kristi plays an AI robot in Teri Baaton Mein Aise Uljha Jiya, set for release this week. - IMDB
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 26 MALAYSIANS are fond of overindulging, especially during festive seasons. The upcoming Chinese New Year will see plenty of feasting, drinking and gambling. Hence, words and lessons from motivational speaker and spiritual mentor, BK Shivani, during her session on “Transforming Problems into Miracles” at the KLCC Plenary Hall late last year should be heeded by more people besides the 3,000 attendees on the day. The 52-year-old native of India counselled for people to take better care of their health and that this process begins with a change in mindset. She said that for many people recovering from health issues, medical doctors often advise us on a change of lifestyle. For many, this involves improving fitness and a change in diet when, in fact, a change in mindset is the most important factor. “Normally, we concentrate on taking care of the body and not the mind, which in fact controls the body.” Shivani said. The mind heals the body Taking care of the mind means, indirectly, that we are taking care of our mental and physical health,” explained the spiritual guru with a degree in software engineering from Pune University. Finding contentment The famed speaker also shared her views on how to find contentment, stating that the spiritual path is the best way to escape the constant pressure of seeking never-ending material gains. “We are not content and we want to achieve more. We want to go ahead of others, constantly compare ourselves with other people and feel superior,” she explained to theSun in an exclusive interview. “On the other hand, spirituality teaches us to achieve contentment, not to compare with others. Instead, go on your own path in your journey,” She used a racing analogy to get her message across. “For example, let’s say two strangers are driving their cars on a road. Suddenly, they look at each other at the traffic light and decide to race. The minute they start racing, everything changes because they are no longer enjoying the ride or the surrounding view but instead focused on winning the race. “Everyone has their own capability in terms of talent, skills and intelligence – everyone is different. If you have a higher-powered car, then I can’t go ahead of you. “When it comes to a red signal, one car stops, but the other car goes ahead. This is when a person breaks the values, principles and ethics of the business by crossing the “red light” just to go ahead of other people. “When I compromise values, principles and ethics, the power of the mind is reduced. “Let’s imagine that one of the cars breaks down and gets stuck in the middle of the road. ‘Am I going to stop the car?’ If I were on a journey, I would, but if I were in a race, I would not stop the car to help the other. “In a subtle manner, the winner would be happy that the other car got stuck and in that moment, the caring or helpful nature in a person diminishes,” she explained. Content affects our minds Shivani also shared that the most powerful impact in our lifestyle currently is the content we consume on a daily basis without realising its impact, which is subtle in the beginning but could eventually have a deeper impact on our overall well-being. Content, whether on social media or online, greatly affects our minds. Hence, one of the key lifestyle changes that Shivani suggests is controlling the type and amount of online content consumed daily. “It’s not just the number of hours, but the quality of the content,” she said. Negative or low-energy content means viewing content that creates fear, aggression and other negative emotions. Social media fixation has also made a habit of constantly comparing, criticising and ridiculing others. It has made people very judgmental. “Hours and hours of consuming low-energy content are now creating my thought process. My thoughts become my words,” she explained. She advised us to spend 15 to 20 minutes (in a day) on healthy content that brings about a positive change in ourselves and not to look at or connect with social media at least an hour before sleep. “Don’t consume negative content just before sleep or the first thing in the morning. Change your sleep cycle, sleep early, wake up early, experiment with a vegetarian diet and practice mindful eating.” Speaking about mindful eating, she also pointed out the negative impact of toddlers eating while watching TV or on a digital device. “This would create problems in the future as they would never learn about mindful eating when they grow up,” she counselled. “They can’t do mindful eating; they will get addicted to watching the screen while eating and often get distracted and not concentrate on the food.” Wise words indeed and sound advice for everyone to take on board and implement in the new year of the dragon. Mindful living and contentment in the New Year. –- 123RF █ BYS. TAMARAI CHELVI Shivani of Brahma Kumaris India spoke of the need to control our minds for healthier living. - BRAHMA KUMARIS MALAYSIA oA spiritual approach to embracing health and contentment in the Year of the Dragon Nurturing well-being
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 29 ADEMOLA LOOKMAN has stolen the limelight from star man Victor Osimhen on Nigeria’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals, with the former England youth international scoring all their goals so far in the knockout stage. While reigning African footballer of the year Osimhen has not found the net at the tournament since the Super Eagles’ opening 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea, Lookman bagged a brace in the 2-0 defeat of Cameroon in the last 16 and followed that with the only goal in the 1-0 defeat of Angola in the quarterfinals. Nigeria may need Lookman to extend that run against South Africa tomorrow (1am Malaysian time), with Osimhen a major doubt for the game with an abdominal problem. Most analysis of Nigeria has focused on Osimhen’s lack of goals as well as the a p p r o a c h adopted by coach Jose Peseiro, who h a s su c c e ss f u l ly put the emphasis on not conceding. “I have chosen another strategy. The players believe in it – don’t concede goals because we will score at least one,” Peseiro said in one press briefing in Abidjan. His side have kept four straight clean sheets en route to the semifinals, following a switch to a three-man central defence. However, the 26-year-old Lookman is the differencemaker just now and has quickly made it impossible for Peseiro to drop him. That is despite the formidable depth available to Nigeria in attack, with AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho and the veteran Ahmed Musa kicking their heels on the bench. Perhaps Lookman never would have started in the first place but for an injury to Victor Boniface which ruled the Bayer Leverkusen forward out just before the Afcon began. Yet there is a sense that every Nigeria player is pulling in the same direction as they set their sights on winning a fourth Cup of Nations crown for Africa’s most populous country. “We are behind each other. We don’t take anything for granted. I think that shows in our work ethic, how we fight for each other, how we defend, how we attack,” Lookman said after collecting the award for man of the match against Cameroon. He was not part of the Nigerian team that bowed out of the last Afcon in the last 16 in Cameroon in 2022, but that was the year big changes happened in Lookman’s career. The Nigeria Football Federation had already been trying for some time to get London-born Lookman to change allegiance despite having represented England as a youth, just like Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses had done previously. He eventually made his debut in a decisive World Cup qualifying playoff against Ghana in March 2022 and has not looked back. “Both of my parents are Nigerian and my two older sisters were also born in Nigeria. So I was the only one out of us to be born here,” he told British newspaper The Guardian in 2021. Lookman began his career at Charlton Athletic but was in the Premier League with Everton by the time he played in the England team that won the U-20 World Cup in 2017. He has since played for RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City, but is now flourishing at international level at a time when he appears in better form than ever in his club career. A move to Italy to sign for Atalanta in August 2022 has been key, as he quickly settled and scored 15 goals in his first season there. Lookman has added seven more so far in this campaign, and playing under Gian Piero Gasperini for one of Serie A’s best sides has helped him become established in the Nigeria side. “I definitely have a defensive role, to help the team within the structure, but that defensive role also allows me to attack,” Lookman told The Times in an interview last year of his club manager. “Italian football is known for structure… They’re so drilled on structure here.” From Bergamo to Bouake, where Peseiro’s well-drilled team face South Africa as Lookman aims to take a step closer to adding the Afcon title with Nigeria to that U-20 World Cup winner’s medal he picked up in the colours of England. – AFP Lookout for Lookman England youth turned Afcon star shines for Super Eagles Dybala stars in emphatic win over Cagliari PAULO DYBALA scored twice as Roma eased to a 4- 0 thumping of Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico yesterday to notch a third straight Serie A win under Daniele De Rossi. The capital club, who sacked former coach Jose Mourinho last month, moved back within one point of fourth-placed Atalanta in the Italian top flight table to boost their Champions League hopes. De Rossi’s only previous role as a head coach came at SPAL in Serie B. Previous 2-1 wins over struggling Verona and bottom club Salernitana had steadied the ship, but this was an even better performance as Cagliari were blown away. Lorenzo Pellegrini fired home the opener in only the second minute before teeing up Dybala for Roma’s second goal midway through the first half. Roma were given a spot-kick for handball less than five minutes into the second period and Dybala stepped up to net his eighth league goal of the season. Teenager Dean Huijsen headed in before the hour mark to add further gloss to the scoreline, and even another Lukaku effort being ruled out late on by the assistant’s flag could not dampen a fine outing for Roma. Mbappe to Real hits stumbling block REAL MADRID are still negotiating a contract with Kylian Mbappe, and the two sides are no closer to an agreement on his wage package. Although it is now expected even at Paris Saint-Germain that the 25-year-old will go to the Bernabeu, an agreement remains someway off. The Qatari-owned club still have an offer on the table for Mbappe but it is understood not to be a significant increase on his current deal. The PSG hierarchy of course wish him to stay, but do not want to be held to ransom as the French league leaders insist on going in a new strategic direction. The widespread feeling is that Mbappe himself has decided it is finally time to move on but the Madrid offer so far hasn’t been to the satisfaction of the player or his entourage. Potential switches to Liverpool or Arsenal have been explored but neither wants to break their wage structure to go for him. It leaves perhaps the best player in the world oddly limited in terms of options, which was precisely what happened with Lionel Messi at Barcelona. Madrid themselves have recalibrated their entire approach over the last half-decade, aiming to develop younger players from initially lower contracts. That was partly because of a long period where the wage bill was clear purposely to bring Mbappe in, only for the forward’s decision to remain at PSG in 2022 greatly disappointing Bernabeu president Florentino Perez. Brazil shocked 1-0 by Paraguay OLYMPIC champions Brazil suffered a setback in their bid to secure a place at this year’s Paris Games after their under-23 team slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat by Paraguay yesterday in the final four South American qualifying tournament. Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Venezuela are competing in a round robin final qualifying stage for the 2024 Games, with only the top two securing berths in Paris. Fabrizio Peralta’s header in the final seconds of the first half was enough to give Paraguay, who last competed at the Olympics in 2004, an unexpected victory. Brazil’s teenage prodigy Endrick, who will join Real Madrid later this year, squandered a chance to put the 2020 Tokyo Games gold medallists ahead when he missed a penalty after 29 minutes. In a later qualifying game, a last-gasp penalty from substitute Kevin Kelsy snatched a 2-2 draw for Venezuela against Argentina. Javier Mascherano’s side finished the game with nine men after Valentin Barco and Gonzalo Lujan were sent off, while Venezuela’s Bryant Ortega also received a red card. Brazil will next face Venezuela, who beat them 3-1 in the preliminary stage earlier this month, on Thursday. Paraguay’s next fixture will be against Argentina. Ocampos touched ‘inappropriately’ by Rayo fan SEVILLA have called on La Liga to take action after winger Lucas Ocampos was touched “inappropriately” by a fan during their 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano, the club said yesterday. The incident occurred 33 minutes into yesterday’s match when a fan poked Ocampos from behind while he was taking a throw-in. The Argentine notified the referee of the incident straight way before continuing to play. “We would like to place on record our disgust at the incident,” Sevilla said in a statement. “Lucas Ocampos was subjected to an obscene and completely inappropriate act by a home fan. We hope that the appropriate measures outlined in the regulations will be taken to prevent such behaviour from happening again on a football field, and we have expressed this to La Liga directly.” Rayo Vallecano said in a statement the incident went against their values as a football club and that they were working to identify the fan. “This isolated action is solely the individual responsibility of the fan who carried it out,” the club added. “Rayo Vallecano is currently working to identify the fan so that, if he is a season ticket holder of the club, the appropriate disciplinary measures can be taken in accordance with the internal regulations.” AFTER disappointing a legion of fans in Hong Kong with a no-show on the pitch at the weekend, Lionel Messi left open the possibility of playing in Inter Miami’s friendly in Tokyo, saying he left “much better” than he did a few days ago. The Argentine’s benching for the highly-anticipated match in front of a sellout crowd at Hong Kong Stadium has turned into a public relations debacle for his Major League Soccer side and organisers of the local event. Speaking to media for the first time since the team and their co-owner David Beckham were booed off the field, Messi said yesterday it was “disappointing” that he was unable to play, citing swelling in his adductor muscle. “In Hong Kong, we had an open-door training session and I went out because there was such a big crowd there and there was a clinic with the kids, and I wanted to be there and participate,” the 36-year-old told a press conference at a Tokyo hotel. “But the truth is that the discomfort was still there and it was very difficult for me to play. “I can understand that people were looking forward to it and I hope that there will be another opportunity for me to play in Hong Kong.” The Inter Miami skipper, who led Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 2022, was coy about whether he would play in today’s friendly against J-League champions Vissel Kobe. “For tomorrow, I don’t know, we’ll need to see how it goes in training today,“ he added. “We still don’t know if I would be able to or not, but I feel much better than I did a few days ago and really want to be able to play.” Excitement has been building for the friendly at Tokyo’s National Stadium, with Inter Miami’s pink colours adorning parts of the city’s trendy Shibuya district. Tickets for the Japan leg of the US Major League Soccer (MLS) club’s globe-trotting pre-season tour are costing between ¥10,000 (RM320) and ¥200,000 yen (RM6,410) with “special experience” packages priced even higher. A crowd of nearly 40,000 in Hong Kong who paid for similarly expensive tickets were involved in angry scenes, jeering and giving thumbs-down signs, after Messi stayed rooted to the bench during their 4-1 win against a local select XI. The Hong Kong government demanded an explanation from the match’s organisers. “It was really bad luck that I couldn’t play in Hong Kong,” Messi said. “Unfortunately this happens in football, in any game it can happen that you can’t play,” he added. “I always want to participate, I want to play, especially in these games where we travel so far and people want to see our games. I hope we can return and play a game in Hong Kong.” The furore came after the 36-year-old Messi came on as a substitute six minutes from the end of Miami’s previous match in Saudi Arabia last Thursday. “I played the minutes that I did to see how I felt,” he explained. “I later did a MRI scan and it turned out I had an oedema (swelling).” – AFP Messi hopes to play in Tokyo after HK letdown SHORTS Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman (top left). – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 30 Devils target Europe Garnacho urging United to maintain momentum after moving into top six ALEJANDRO GARNACHO says improving Manchester United must maintain momentum as they look to claw themselves into the Champions League qualification spots. A promising first season under Erik ten Hag has been followed by a challenging second campaign filled with more downs than ups, thanks in no small part to a swathe of injuries. The drop off means United have no European football after Christmas but there has been a recent upturn in fortunes and they usurped West Ham in sixth after Garnacho’s brace in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford. The Red Devils remain six points behind Tottenham in fifth – a position that may be enough for Champions League qualification – and a further two behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, where Ten Hag’s team head on Sunday (Mon 12.30am Malaysian time). “I am always trying to help the team by either scoring or assisting,” Garnacho said after his second-half double at the weekend. “I don’t care if Rasmus (Hojlund) or (Marcus) Rashford scores, I think we have to win and we have to be in the top six again. “Hopefully, you know, (I could get) 10, 12 goals (by the end of the season). “Now we go over West Ham into the top six but of course we want to be in the Champions League the next year, so we have to keep this momentum and try to win the next game.” United have won four of their five matches in all competitions since the turn of the year, drawing the other, with Hojlund scoring in each of his last four matches. The summer signing celebrated his 21st birthday by opening the scoring on Sunday, continuing a fine run started when breaking his Premier League duck in the 3-2 Boxing Day turnaround against Villa. “I am very happy for Rasmus and also because it is his birthday,” Garnacho told MUTV. “He had a difficult start but now he has scored (in) four games in a row. I am very happy for him and all of the team.” Hojlund’s strike was complemented by Garnacho’s brace, with his first goal celebrated by sitting on the advertising hoardings alongside fellow grinning young guns Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo. The latter scored a fantastic stoppage-time winner to secure Thursday’s 4-3 victory at Wolves and Garnacho is full of praise for his 18-year-old team-mate and fellow 2022 FA Youth Cup winner. “It is a dream for me and for Kobbie,” the Argentina international said. “Kobbie is a future star, for me, and also it is a good feeling because we played in the U-18s and the U-21s, we grew up together and I am very happy. “If you have to play, you play, it doesn’t matter if you are 18. I am happy for me and happy for the team.” – The Independent Odegaard snaps back at critics after celebrating with cameraman MARTIN ODEGAARD hit back at critics who claimed Arsenal over celebrated their victory over 10-man Liverpool – insisting they will remain “humble” throughout their Premier League title challenge. The Gunners moved to within two points of Jurgen Klopp’s leaders following a 3-1 win over 10-man Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. Odegaard the celebrations after the final whistle, taking the camera off the club’s photographer to snap the jubilant reactions to a result that put Mikel Arteta’s men right back into title contention. Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was unhappy with what he saw. “Just get down the tunnel. You’ve won a game, three points, you’ve been brilliant. Back in the title race, get down the tunnel. I’m serious, honestly,” he said – before later adding on X: “By all means enjoy it, but enjoy it by being disciplined!” Carragher also changed his X profile picture to one of Odegaard using the camera, but the Arsenal captain was not about to apologise for his post-match celebrations. Asked if it is possible to over celebrate after such a big win, the Norway international replied: “No, I think everyone who loves football, who understands football, they know how much it means to win this game. “And if you’re not allowed to celebrate when you win a game, when are you allowed to celebrate? We’re happy with the win and we’ll stay humble. “We keep working hard and we prepare for the next one but of course you have to be happy when you win. “It was a massive game. As you say it could have been eight points (if we’d lost) and it would look a lot more difficult then but we showed up, the fans were unbelievable. “I think we all did this together. You see the club, how together we are, all the players, staff, supporters, everything. So yeah, brilliant to see.” – The Independent CHELSEA are reportedly “concerned” about the financial implications of sacking Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine is coming under increasing pressure as Blues boss and supporters have already begun to voice their opinion on his position in the Stamford Bridge dugout. Things went from bad to worse for Pochettino over the weekend after his side were beaten 4-2 at home by Wolves. Chelsea left the pitch to a chorus of boos, prompting fresh conversations about whether Pochettino is the right manager to lead the club. However, despite their miserable form, the Blues may have their hands tied by the Premier League’s spending rules. According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are fearful that sacking Pochettino would see them breach the Premier League’s guidelines at a time when their financial situation is already under immense scrutiny. The ex-Tottenham boss has 18 months left on his contract with the Blues and therefore would require a fee to leave the club. Therefore, sacking Pochettino and his extended backroom team would set Chelsea back at least £10 million (RM58m), which they are not sure whether they can afford at present. Any agreed pay-off would be included in the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules this season, and Chelsea are already working hard to ensure that they comply with those guidelines and do not incur any punishments for overspending. The Blues attempted to raise funds to strengthen their PSR position during the January transfer window but to no avail. Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja were all placed in the shop window and expected to catch the eye of top clubs around Europe. However, the trio of academy graduates did not receive the significant interest that Chelsea were hoping for, with only Broja leaving the club to join Fulham on loan for the remainder of the campaign, despite the Blues initially telling suitors that they would only entertain permanent offers in the region of £50 million (RM290m) for the out of favour striker. – Express Newspapers Pochettino conundrum the Blues █ BY SIMON PEACH █ BY MARK MANN-BRYANS SHORTS Martinez out for at least eight weeks LISANDRO MARTINEZ has been ruled out until April with a knee injury sustained in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over West Ham on Sunday. But a medial collateral ligament problem has proved a less serious diagnosis than United initially feared when manager Erik ten Hag spoke of a “personal disaster” for the Argentinian defender as he worried it would be a “very bad” injury. Nevertheless, while the World Cup winner will not require an operation now, he will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks and is set to miss at least seven games, starting with Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa and including March’s Manchester derby. He will also sit out United’s FA Cup fifth-round tie and a potential quarterfinal. He could face a race against time to be fit for the matches against Chelsea and Liverpool in the first week of April. It means Martinez’s season will end up disrupted by two lengthy spells on the sidelines. The West Ham match was the fourth game of his comeback after four months out following surgery on a foot problem. He was not fully fit at the start of the campaign, when he made six appearances, and has only played for 741 minutes for United since he was hurt in last April’s Europa League draw against Sevilla. Sunday was the first match since August when Ten Hag had last season’s four centrebacks – Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire – all available. Martinez and Varane, the regular pairing then, have not begun a game together at Old Trafford since August. Silva’s wife calls for ‘change’ at Stamford Bridge THE wife of Thiago Silva has said that “change” is needed before it is “too late” for Chelsea’s after their latest significant setback against Wolves. The London club were beaten 4-2 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with a Matheus Nunes hat-trick and Axel Disasi own goal condemning Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a tenth Premier League defeat of the season. The win lifted the visitors above their hosts, with Pochettino under renewed pressure after Chelsea dropped into the bottom half. Hopes that Pochettino could instigate an improvement in Chelsea’s fortunes after the struggles of last season appear to have dissipated, with the Argentine’s starting line-up still unsettled and home fans turning on their players during the defeat. And Silva’s wife appeared to call for Pochettino’s sacking in a social media post made after the game. “It’s time to change,” Belle Silva posted on X, formerly Twitter. “If you wait any longer it will be too late.” Chelsea were booed off at half-time and the end of a damaging defeat, while Raheem Sterling was also the subject of jeers when replaced. Sections of home supporters also chanted the names of former owner Roman Abramovich and ex-coach Jose Mourinho, who is out of work after leaving Roma. Chelsea next travel to Aston Villa for a fourth-round replay in the FA Cup, before a trip to struggling Crystal Palace in the League next Tuesday (4am Malaysian time). Garnacho. – AFPPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 31 In sync to Paris PandelelaDhabitah must grab one of four olympic synchro spots left NATIONAL diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong has one last chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after her failure in the individual event at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar on Monday. Pandelela’s failure to advance to the semifinals of the 10m platform individual preliminary round resulted in her missing out on an Olympic spot. But all is not lost as she can still head to Paris if she and her partner, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, can get their A game going in the women’s 10m platform synchronised event in Doha today. And national diving technical director Bryan Nickson Lomas is on pins and needles as Pandelela, 30, and Nur Dhabitah, 24, vie for one of the four remaining spots in Doha since divers from France, China, Great Britain and the United States have already secured the other four tickets to Paris 2024. “A lot of things didn’t go as planned for Pandelela in the individual event yesterday. Although she started really well with the first dive, I think she didn’t get a good rotation rhythm for some of the dives. “Anyhow, she has one more chance in the synchro with Dhabitah, hope they can qualify. I am sure as a senior diver, Pandelela will adjust and focus for the next event,” the former Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist told Bernama. Bryan, however, admitted that it would be an uphill task for the duo, especially after Nur Dhabitah suffered a minor tricep injury before arriving in Doha. “We want to push for the Olympic spot. It’s going to be tough but we will fight for it,” he added. On Monday, two-time Olympic medallist Pandelela missed the semifinals after only managing to secure 29th place with 231.15 points in the women’s 10m platform individual, trailing 204.05 points behind reigning world champion Chen Yuxi (435.20 points). Malaysia’s other representative, Nur Eilisha Rania Abrar Raj ended up in 44th place out of 46 divers in the event with 167.55 points. Only the top 18 divers from the preliminary round have advanced to yesterday’s semifinals and they will fight for the 12 Olympic tickets on offer in Doha. The top 12 divers from the 2023 Fukuoka World Championships have already qualified for Paris 2024 Pandelela, who bagged the women’s 10m platform individual bronze in the 2012 London Olympics and 10m platform synchronised silver with Cheong Jun Hoong at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is hoping for a fifth consecutive Olympic appearance since making her debut at the 2008 Beijing edition. – Bernama Moonton Games, KBS, ESI unveil MLBB’S roadmap MOONTON GAMES, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) and Esports Integrated (ESI), announced yesterday the roadmap for the future direction of Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) Malaysia, ushering in a new era and advancements in the video game for 2024. Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, chief business and marketing development officer at Moonton Games, explained that the plan is divided into three parts, namely the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Academy League Malaysia (MAL MY) programme, which will serve as the grassroots development stage involving student groups, persons with disabilities (OKU), and women. He stated that the programme, collaborating with IO Esport, will organise an Academy League offering a total prize pool of US$20,000 (RM95,000) in an effort to discover new talents in the game. “The main objective is to cultivate the ecosystem through MAL MY, and its focus is indeed on the grassroots,” he said after presenting the MLBB roadmap, attended by Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Adam Adli Abdul Halim yesterday. Fikri Rizal added that the plan also involves targeting positive results in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) M6 World Championship in 2024, scheduled to take place in the country in November, and the Mid-Season Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in July. Furthermore, he revealed that the MBSJ Serdang Jaya Stadium will become the “Home of MPL MY” for the 13th and 14th seasons of the Professional Mobile Legend Malaysia League (MPL). He said the venue can accommodate over 1,000 spectators, double the capacity of the previous venue at Dewan Sri Putra in Bukit Jalil. Meanwhile, Adam Adli said that he is optimistic that 2024 will be an exciting year to witness the development of the esports ecosystem, especially for MLBB, based on Moonton Games’ plans. – Bernama THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are on the lookout for a new head coach for the men’s team after A. Arulselvaraj’s contract expired following the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification debacle. The vacancy will be advertised on MHC’s official website tomorrow, and those interested have seven days to submit their applications. MHC coaching committee chairman Datuk Majid Manjit Abdullah said the head coach will act as supremo for both the men’s senior (Speedy Tigers) and junior (Young Tigers) teams for the next Olympic cycle. “The role is open to both local and foreign coaches. He will oversee both the senior and junior teams and we will give him the mandate to appoint the assistant coaches,” he told reporters after the committee’s first meeting for the 2023- 2027 term. Majid Manjith said the new head coach would probably take charge a month after the candidates’ interview as they’ll need to rush the appointment to begin the Speedy Tigers’ preparations for their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title defence in Ipoh from May 4-11 and the FIH Nations Cup in Poland from May 31 to June 9. Meanwhile, Majid Manjith said the committee had asked Arulselvaraj to submit a detailed report on the team’s failure to qualify for the Olympics within seven days. “We discussed the report submitted by Arulselvaraj, but we need more details such as before, during and after the qualifiers (in Muscat, Oman from Jan 15–21). “We want him to give (details of) players’ performance, match-by-match performance, the condition of players and (their) injuries because were told some players were injured… so we need the report,” he added. He explained that Arulselvaraj is also free to reapply for the position of head coach if he is interested. Meanwhile, MHC chief executive officer S. Nishel Kumar said two candidates from Europe have already expressed their intentions to take charge of the Speedy Tigers. Last week, MHC disbanded both the national men’s senior and junior teams. The Juniors, coached by Muhamad Amin Rahim, finished 12th in the 16-nation Junior World Cup late last year. – Bernama Speedy Tigers on the prowl for new head coach ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Brentford 1 (Maupay 21) Manchester City 3 (Foden 45+3, 53, 70). P W D L F A PTS Liverpool 23 15 6 2 52 22 51 Man City 22 15 4 3 54 25 49 Arsenal 23 15 4 4 47 22 49 Aston Villa 23 14 4 5 49 30 46 Tottenham 23 13 5 5 49 35 44 Man Utd 23 12 2 9 31 32 38 West Ham 23 10 6 7 36 36 36 Brighton 23 9 8 6 42 38 35 Newcastle 23 10 3 10 48 37 33 Wolves 23 9 5 9 37 37 32 Chelsea 23 9 4 10 38 39 31 Bournemouth 22 7 6 9 30 41 27 Fulham 23 7 5 11 30 38 26 Crystal Palace 23 6 6 11 26 40 24 Brentford 22 6 4 12 32 39 22 Nottm Forest 23 5 6 12 28 41 21 Luton 22 5 5 12 32 42 20 Everton 23 8 5 10 26 30 19 Burnley 23 3 4 16 24 47 13 Sheff Utd 23 2 4 17 19 59 10 LA LIGA: Rayo Vallecano 1 (Palazon 29) Sevilla 2 (En-Nesyri 19, 45). SERIE A: Roma 4 (Pellegrini 2, Dybala 23, 51-pen, Huijsen 59) Cagliari 0. TOP 6 P W D L F A PTS Inter Milan 22 18 3 1 51 10 57 Juventus 23 16 5 2 36 14 53 AC Milan 23 15 4 4 46 27 49 Atalanta 22 12 3 7 40 22 39 Roma 23 11 5 7 40 26 38 Bologna 22 9 9 4 29 22 36 RESULTS & STANDINGS SIDENETTING SAUDI PRO LEAGUE side Al-Nassr want to reunite Manchester United’s French defender Raphael Varane, 30, with his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. UNITED want a fee of between £40m (RM239m) and £50m (RM299m) for England winger Jadon Sancho, 23, who is currently on loan at former club Borussia Dortmund. MANCHESTER CITY have agreed a deal to sign 19-year-old winger Savio. The Brazilian is currently on loan at Girona from Troyes - both clubs part of the City Football Group. TOTTENHAM are interested in Barcelona and Brazil forward Raphinha, 27. REAL MADRID are yet to agree wages with France striker Kylian Mbappe, 25, but he is still expected to join from Paris St-Germain. ARSENAL are set to tie down Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, 25, to a new long-term deal. FULHAM will make a second attempt to sign Lyon and France U--21 attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, 20, in the summer after failing with a £35m (RM209m) bid in January. ASTON VILLA have reached a verbal agreement with Leon Bailey for the 26- year-old Jamaica winger to sign new long-term contract with the club. BARCELONA’S sporting director Deco has said that it is not “the right time” to talk about outgoing Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp as a potential successor to Xavi at the Nou Camp. FORMER Germany and Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick is learning Spanish and would be interested in taking over at Barcelona in the summer. National divers Pandelela Rinong (right) and Nur Dhabitah Sabri with the gold medal they won in the women’s 10m synchronized platform final at the 31st SEA Games. – BERNAMA/FILEPIX
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] SCAN ME WEDNESDAY | FEB 7, 2024 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 AFTER a pair of instinctive finishes, it was a burst of pace and the trusted left foot that delivered the final blow. On the night where Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were reunited in Manchester City’s attack, a hat-trick from Phil Foden against Brentford brought the champions to within two points of leaders Liverpool as Pep Guardiola’s side completed another away comeback in the Premier League. City will return to the top if they win their game in hand – which is also against Brentford in two weeks, and after breaking the spell that Thomas Frank’s side held over them last season, the champions have another reason to be encouraged as they threaten to ease away in the title race. Brentford were the only team to do the double over City in the last campaign – Guardiola has never lost to the same opposition three times in a row in the League, but Neal Maupay’s opener may have had the Catalan thinking that Frank was about to repeat his trick. For a fourth away game in a row in the Premier League, City trailed. But like at Newcastle, Everton and Luton, the champions came from behind to win. He completed his hattrick with a flourish: running onto Haaland’s lay-off, he eased past Ethan Pinnock and into the box with a casual burst of acceleration before finishing cooly past Mark Flekken. It was Foden who helped inspire City’s comeback at Goodison Park just after Christmas and he produced another talismanic display at the Gtech Community Stadium. “I said weeks ago that Phil is having his most influence on the team,” said Guardiola. “He’s reading the game really well, how he can play simple and be more aggressive. “He always has the pleasure to score goals and the threat when he is close to the 18-yard box. He is an exceptional player. A short age, already more than 250 games for City. That means the influence since he arrived. “He loves to play football and still when you see players in the street when you are a little boy he still has this sense of amateur culture. He loves to play and this season he has been so important for us. “In terms of how he moves in small spaces. I’ve seen many really good players but the impact from Phil when he gets the ball there, he can score. “The feeling that he can shoot or make an assist, it’s difficult to find this combination to move in the pockets and after be like a knife and be so aggressive and score goals.” Guardiola refused to discuss an angry bustup between Kyle Walker and Maupay after the win in west London. The England defender blew his top at something Maupay said to him in the closing stages and had to be calmed down by his manager. City skipper Walker had been subjected to taunts about his personal life from the home fans throughout the match. Guardiola had a long conversation with French striker Maupay after the final whistle but when quizzed about the incident afterwards, Guardiola simply snapped: “Next question!” The Bees went ahead in the 21st minute with a goal straight out of the Brentford playbook. Flekken actually claimed the assist, punting his goal kick towards Ivan Toney, who backed into Nathan Ake, easing the defender out of the flight path while letting the ball bounce past. Maupay was left free to race clean through, coolly finishing past Ederson for his fifth goal since the turn of the year. “We know we have a strength there with Ivan,” said boss Thomas Frank. “We don’t do it all the time but against a team that is pressing it can be effective. Credit to Mark, Ivan and Neal, they worked it out themselves. “It was an OK team we were facing, I must say! A good performance from us. We do a lot of things right.” – The Independent Foden’s hattrick shows why City can ease clear in title race Cityzens fire warning Man City’s Phil Foden celebrates scoring their second goal during the English Premier League against Brentford yesterday. – REUTERSPIX -Story on page 2 -Story on page 2 In sync to Paris Lookout for Lookman Story on page 29 Story on page 31