Football : Arsenal title dream shattered at Bolton

Arsenal's Premier League title hopes suffered a crushing blow when they conceded a last-minute goal to lose 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.

Bolton substitute Tamir Cohen headed the winner, leaving Arsenal nine points behind leaders Manchester United with four games left and almost certainly ending their bid to claim a first trophy since 2005.

Arsenal went into the match on an unbeaten 16-game run but a succession of draws had allowed United, who beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday, to open a gap at the top of the table.

"It is difficult to swallow the way we lost," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports.

"We had chances to win it but didn't take it and in the end we were caught in the way we feared today, from a corner. The week we have just had summed up our season -- lots of quality in our game on Sunday, Wednesday and today but not enough rewards for our effort. We could have had nine points but we got two."

United lead the way with 73 points, champions Chelsea are second on 67 and Arsenal, who have won only one of their last seven league games, have 64.

Manchester City, who visit Blackburn Rovers on Monday, are fourth on 56 with Tottenham Hotspur on 55.

Bolton were unrecognisable from the team thrashed 5-0 by Stoke City in the FA Cup semi-finals a week ago.

Their players used the match programme to apologise to their fans for their performance at Wembley and they certainly set about the match as if they had a point to prove.

Lee Chung-yong missed two good chances before they took a deserved lead in the 38th minute.

Gary Cahill's header from a corner was blocked on the line by Samir Nasri but Daniel Sturridge nodded in the rebound for his seventh goal in nine games since arriving on loan from Chelsea in January.

Bolton were awarded a soft penalty 30 seconds into the second half when Sturridge went down under little pressure from Johan Djourou but Kevin Davies shot weakly at Wojciech Szczesny.

Three minutes later Arsenal were level when Robin van Persie played a great one-two with Cesc Fabregas, who hit the post late in the first half, before scoring from the edge of the box. 

A great save by Jussi Jaaskelainen denied Nasri in the 70th minute but though Arsenal, who were seeking a ninth successive victory over Bolton, dominated possession they struggled to test the keeper further.

Instead it was the home side who struck when Cohen, on the pitch for four minutes, powerfully headed home a corner.

He celebrated by tearing off his shirt to reveal a t-shirt bearing a picture of his father Avi, the former Liverpool player who died after a motorbike accident in Israel in December -- and collected a mandatory booking for his actions.

"After last week, we wanted to show the fans we had the passion to prove to them that was just one bad day," Sturridge told Sky Sports.

"I have done my team Chelsea a favour today but I came out here to work for Bolton and their fans."

Bolton manager Owen Coyle said: "I think everyone knows how bad we felt after the FA Cup semi-final and it was important we showed our character today -- and we did that.

"We dealt Arsenal's title hopes a big blow but more important for us was our performance. I think we showed the real Bolton Wanderers today and went a long way to putting the smile back on our fans' faces."

Cricket : Rajasthan Royals beat Kochi Tuskers

41-year old Shane Warne (3-16) headed a superb bowling display from the Rajasthan Royals to guide them to a comfortable eight-wicket victory against Kerala Kochi Tuskers with 35 balls to spare.

The Kochi Tuskers, led by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene, failed to read Warne's flight and spin and, with seamer Siddharth Trivedi also chipping in with three for 19, they were bundled out for a paltry 109.

Rahul Dravid (44) put on 71 runs for the opening wicket with Australian Shane Watson (49) before getting run out as Rajasthan leap-frogged from sixth to second spot with their third victory.

In Hyderabd, Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga took three for nine against Deccan Chargers to help Mumbai Indians consolidate their position at the top of the Indian Premier League on Sunday with their fifth win.

Mumbai, who were asked to bat, were tottering at 70 for four after a brisk opening stand of 47 between Sachin Tendulkar (28) and Davy Jacobs (32).

Rohit Sharma (56 off 34 balls) and former Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds (44 off 33) added 102 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand to take their side to 172 for four.

Sharma hit three sixes in the final over as the duo plundered 40 runs in the last two overs of their innings against their former IPL franchise.

Malinga, who announced his retirement from test cricket last week, then got into the act with a succession of swinging yorkers. He also ran out Cameron White with a direct hit to bring about a 37-run win for Mumbai on Tendulkar's 38th birthday.

Football:Liverpool plan massive squad shake-up

Liverpool are planning a radical overhaul of their squad this summer with a source at the club revealing that they are planning "up to 22 deals" in and out of the club.

Director of Football Damien Comolli has been working since his appointment to identify priority targets and will receive support from the club's owners, the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), this summer as the club seek to build a squad capable of getting back into the Champions League. Kenny Dalglish, who is hoping to remain as manager, has spoken of the need to complement the club's emerging talent with investment and it is understood that Comolli and his scouting team located two or three targets for each position they want to strengthen. Most of these are aged between 19 and 24 as the club seeks to invest in players whose talent can be developed and whose value will increase.

 

Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be the first signing when the window opens on June 1, with the club being described as "a long way down the road" to securing the Bosman free transfer of the former France Under 21 international.

Liverpool are looking at further reinforcements in the wide areas, another striker, a left back and cover at centre back. If enough players can be sold, there could be as many as 11 signings. As they showed in January, FSG are prepared to reinvest money received in fees into the squad — most of the cash received for Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel was put into signing Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez for £58 million (Dh351.5 million). Having a high turnover will also allow the club to address the issue of the excessive contracts that were handed out under the previous regime. With the club's commercial department landing some impressive deals — a record £25 million-a-year kit deal with Warrior follows a lucrative contract with Standard Chartered as shorts sponsor — and the club freed of servicing the debts that impeded them under Hicks and Gillett.