14/04/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | APR 14, 2026

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Malaysian Paper

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Rosenior admits Chelsea in ‘difficult place’

SHORTS Birmingham dent Wrexham’s Championship playoff hopes BIRMINGHAM severely dented Wrexham’s hopes of finishing in the Championship playoffs with a 2-0 win against the Welsh side on Sunday. The Red Dragons’ hopes of an unprecedented fourth straight pro motion are under serious threat after a second straight defeat left them four points behind sixth placed Hull with four games to play. A string of first half saves from Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo kept the home side at bay but he could not prevent Carlos Vicente from nodding in his third goal for the club since joining in January. Christoph Klarer stabbed in a second in the second half to seal the points for Birmingham, who had lost three matches in a row. Wrexham were toothless in attack and failed to register a shot on target against a dominant Birmingham team, who climbed to 15th in the table. Frimpong dies after robbery attack A GHANAIAN Premier League foot baller, Dominic Frimpong, has been killed after armed robbers attacked his team on the way back from an away fixture on Sunday, the Ghana Football Association said yesterday. Berekum Chelsea FC said in a statement that “masked men wield ing guns and assault rifles” fired on the team bus and forced the players to take cover in the bushes. The robbery, according to Ghana police, occurred around 10.30pm local time (Mon, 6.30am Malaysian time) along the Ahyiresu-Kwame Dwumor Sreso road in the Nyinahin District in the southern region of Ashanti. Police said Frimpong sustained gunshot wounds and died in hospi tal while receiving treatment. The Ghana Football Association described the incident as “tragic” and a “huge loss to Berekum Chelsea but also to Ghana football as a whole.” It said it would strengthen secu rity arrangements for clubs travel ling for domestic competitions. In a similar incident in 2023, Legon Cities’ team bus was attacked following a game at Samartex though no one was reported injured.

LIAM ROSENIOR admitted Chelsea are in a “difficult place” after Sunday’s dismal 3-0 defeat against Manchester City piled pressure on the Blues boss. Rosenior’s side conceded three times in the sec ond half at Stamford Bridge as Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku netted for title-chasing City. Chelsea are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool in the race for a top-five finish. With their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League hanging by a slender thread, Rosenior is fac ing pointed questions about Chelsea’s struggles since he arrived from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca in January. Chelsea have lost five of their last six games in all competitions, including three in a row in the Premier League. In those three league defeats Chelsea have failed to score and Rosenior said they had fallen well short

team in massive form pushing for the title. But we need to win games like this. That’s why I have come to the club.” Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was missing from the team for a second successive game after Rosenior’s controversial decision to suspend him. Fernandez angered Rosenior by hinting recently that he would be willing to leave in the summer. But the Argentinian will be allowed to return to action next week after talks with the rest of the squad. “Any team will miss Enzo. Myself, backed by the leadership group and sporting directors, made a decision for the long term of the club,”Rosenior said. “Enzo wanted to have a conversation with the main players of the group. He has spoken with me, the leadership group and all of the players. “There’s nothing personal with Enzo. He will be back with the group on Tuesday. He is a top player and a really good guy.” – AFP

of the standards he demands. “Not good enough in the second half. It’s a simi lar story for the past month now in terms of dealing with set-backs,” he said. “If you go down against teams as good as this, what you have to do for the next five minutes is to stay in the game. It ended up being a really, really difficult second half.” Chelsea were booed off at fulltime and Rosenior knows he can expect further criticism from frus trated fans if results don’t improve in the final weeks of the season. “I am accountable. This is a group. It’s something we need to improve. It starts with your habits and values. I can’t say there was a lack of effort. But there was a lack of confidence in the second half,” he said. “We have to improve. We are in a difficult place at the moment and we have got another huge game next week. “We can’t forget that we were playing against a

No bounce for Spurs

Tottenham new boss De Zerbi fails to spark revival, suffers debut defeat T OTTENHAM’S Premier League plight deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday in Roberto De Zerbi’s we have to believe more in ourselves and the crucial part is to win one game.

Cristian Romero looks dejected before being substituted off due to an injury during Tottenham’s Premier League defeat to Sunderland on Sunday. – REUTERSPIC

“We can play much better than today but after five or six training games it is difficult. All together we have to stay focused to win one game.” Tottenham face Brighton next week, with a game against bottom club Wolves to follow but it is difficult to see where their next win is going to come from. Tottenham, who recently parted ways with interim boss Igor Tudor, are two points behind 17th-placed West Ham and have six games left to save themselves. They are the ninth-wealthiest club in the world, according to Deloitte’s latest rankings, underlining the extraordinary nature of their predica ment. Elsewhere, relegation rivals Nottingham Forest held Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground and remain one point above the Hammers. Unai Emery’s Villa, chasing a Champions League spot next season, took the lead courtesy of a Murillo own goal. Forest were level later in the first half when Neco Williams finished smartly from outside the box. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice, including a stoppage-time pen alty, as Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Newcastle 2-1 at Selhurst Park. – AFP/Reuters

first match in charge before Manchester City try to close the gap on leaders Arsenal. Spurs brought in the former Brighton and Marseille boss at the end of last month in a last-ditch bid to save themselves from a catastrophic relegation. But the Italian failed to inspire his team in a tricky baptism at Sunderland and his team remain mired in the drop zone. Tottenham, playing under their third manager this season, are with out a Premier League win since December as they contemplate the nightmare of a first relegation from the English top flight since 1977. De Zerbi said his men were suffer ing a crisis of confidence, arguing that a win would change everything. “I can be a big brother, father, they don’t need a coach,” he told the BBC . “They don’t need to improve football. “They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence.” He told Sky Sports : “We have to work on one win because with one win we can change everything this season. I have 24 hours per day and it is not a problem of time. We created chances in the first half, the same we have done in the week. “The players have great quality but

Liverpool seek ‘special’ Anfield night to salvage troubled season LIVERPOOL have a mountain to climb to oust holders Paris Saint-Germain from the Champions League but are hoping the Anfield factor can sal vage a bitterly disappointing season. Malaysian time),” said captain Virgil van Dijk. “We are at home and we have to show belief that we can do it. It needs a special performance but I’m lucky I have been part of special perform ances so I will try and bring that across for the team.” both confirmed they will leave Anfield at the end of the season. Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker remain for now, but there is no guarantee Liverpool will be in the competition next season despite five English sides being assured of qualification.

but looking forward to Tuesday. Not only for the players but also for the fans. After a 4-0 loss and a 2-0 loss everybody could do with this win,” said Slot. “One thing is clear is that on Tuesday we need our fans. There were fans in Paris but we had a very hard time. “Anfield has shown many times that it can lift the team to another level and we need that again. Half an hour before the game the players need that support and need to feel it is going to be another special evening.” Slot needs his side to salvage some pride. Another embarrassment like the ones suffered recently in Manchester and Paris, but this time on home soil, could be the final straw for many fans. – AFP

Crowned champions of England less than a year ago, the Reds sit fifth in the Premier League and fell short in both domestic cup competitions. The Champions League represents one final chance of silverware but it is a long shot after the team were outclassed 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Parc des Princes. Six-time European champions Liverpool are still alive in the competition thanks to PSG’s profli gacy and they have overcome greater odds in the past under the lights at Anfield. “It’s down to us to be in the best shape possible to make a special evening on Tuesday (Wed, 3am

A 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday gave Slot’s men some breathing space from the chasing pack in the battle for Champions League football and also snapped a three-game losing streak. Adding to uncertainty, Slot’s position remains in serious doubt towards the end of his second campaign in charge. The Dutchman issued a rallying cry after the Fulham win to try and get the fans back onside for the visit of the European champions. “This was a massive win not only for the league

Van Dijk was part of the side that beat Lionel Messi’s Barcelona 4-0 in 2019, overturning a 3-0 first leg deficit in the semifinals on Liverpool’s way to Champions League glory. That night may have been the high point of Jurgen Klopp’s glorious reign, which included three Champions League finals in five seasons. Barring a miraculous fightback, tomorrow could be the final Champions League chapter for the key figures in that Klopp side. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have