Are You Taking The Michael?! Manchester United are to sign former England striker Michael Owen on a free transfer, according to reports.Owen's Newcastle contract lapsed on July 1 but although the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker apparently remained eager to stay in the Barclays Premier League, it appeared only the likes of Stoke and Hull were ready to make a concrete offer.They now appear to have been joined by reigning champions United, who have lost star man Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina striker Carlos Tevez since the end of last season. Owen is believed to be travelling to Manchester on Friday for a medical, having already undergone an assessment of his troublesome knee on Thursday.If United's medical staff give him the all-clear, Owen could join former club Liverpool's arch-rivals as soon as next week. With the prolific Owen on the books surely United are certs to retain their title because lets face it swapping Owen for Ronaldo is like upgading a Mini to a Ferrari!!
Wounded Lions Ring The Changes British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa.A wrist injury has sidelined Wales star Jamie Roberts, so England's Riki Flutey forges a new midfield combination with Tommy Bowe, who switches from the wing.Ugo Monye, dropped after the first Test defeat, returns in the number 14 shirt, with world player of the year Shane Williams starting instead of Luke Fitzgerald on the other wing.England props Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery take over from injured pair Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, while back-row changes see starts for Wasps flanker Joe Worsley and Wales openside Martyn Williams. The seven changes and one positional alteration mean just four players will have started all three Tests - fly-half Stephen Jones, scrum-half Mike Phillips, skipper Paul O'Connell and number eight Jamie Heaslip.The Lions must win at Ellis Park to avoid suffering a Test series whitewash for the first time in 118 years of fixtures between the sides.
An All-Star Cast A final field of 10 is set to go to post for Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, which is headed by John Oxx's 2000 Guineas and Derby winner Sea The Stars. Rip Van Winkle, fourth behind Sea The Stars at Epsom, will bid to turn the form around over this shorter trip. Sir Michael Stoute's St Leger and Breeders' Cup Turf hero Conduit spearheads the older generation.Meanwhile its quite a busy day's racing today, with a total of eight meetings going ahead, with three taking place this afternoon and five evening meetings going to post later on. Doncaster gets the day underway at 2.00, with Warwick off at 2.10, and Sandown kick off at 2.20, and there's not much of a break either, as Wexford goes to post at 5.25, also going tonight are Bellewstown, Beverley, Salisbury and Haydock, so plenty of chances to line your pockets. Don't forget all of our daily racing specials will also be available.
Kim Back In The Swing Anthony Kim got his AT&T National title defence off to the best possible start at Congressional Country Club but will have tournament host Tiger Woods right on his tail going into Friday's second round.American Kim shot a course-record, eight-under-par, bogey-free 62 on Thursday to set an early target for the late-starting world number one and then saw Woods post a 64 to take a share of second place overnight.Woods was making up for lost time having missed last year's second edition of his own event, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation and honours US servicemen and women, due to injury.Playing alongside Charley Hoffman and Lucas Glover, the man who succeeded him as US Open champion at Bethpage Black 10 days ago, Woods sent down seven birdies and one bogey on the par-70, 7,255-yard Blue Course for a 64 to match fellow Americans DA Points and Bryce Molder.
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