Premier League
LEICESTER CITY HELICOPTER CRASH: WRECKAGE REMOVED
The wreckage of the helicopter, which crashed near to Leicester City’s stadium last Saturday has been removed.nnClub owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s body has also arrived in Thailand ahead of his funeral on Saturday.nnAccording to BBC, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has begun examining parts of the wreckage and the in-flight recorder.nnMr Vichai died with two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger when the aircraft came down near the King Power Stadium on Saturday.nnAn AAIB spokesman said the wreckage had arrived at its specialist facility in Farnborough and inspectors gathered all the evidence that could be collected from the scene.nnThe wreckage will be “laid out and more detailed examination can continue”, he said.nn”The digital flight recorder is in our laboratory. Although subject to intense heat in the post-accident fire, initial work on it has allowed us to successfully download the recordings.nn”Our inspectors are verifying the extracted information and have started the detailed analysis of its contents,” the spokesman added.nnA black vehicle, thought to be carrying Mr Vichai’s body, was seen travelling from Don Mueang airport to the temple where the funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday.nnNusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, also died in the crash last Saturday.nnPolice said the coroner has now formally identified all five of the victims.nnLeicester City are due to play Cardiff on Saturday, which will be their first game since the crash. They were due to play Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, but the match was rescheduled.nnThe club has confirmed that some players and staff will be flying out to Thailand after Saturday’s game.nnIn a press conference on Thursday, Leicester manager Claude Puel said the result at the Cardiff game was “not important”.nnHe added that Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, named as one of the first people on the scene after the helicopter crashed, “saw a lot of things”.nnAn eyewitness saw Schmeichel run out from the stadium on Saturday night followed by “loads of security guards and stewards”.nnPuel said: “Kasper, like the other players, has a lot of history with the chairman and they are all devastated.”nnAhead of Saturday’s game, Leicester striker Jamie Vardy told Sky Sports: “For us as players, we want to get a positive result.”nnThe 31-year-old added: “We need to make sure we go out there and honour his name and put in a performance that will hopefully get the win.nn”We all spoke about wanting to play. It’s what Vichai would have wanted and that’s what we are going to do.”nnAll Premier League games this weekend will be preceded by a minute’s silence, and players will wear black armbands.nnOn flying to Thailand for the funeral, he said: “It’s been the hardest week of everyone’s lives.nn”It’ll be massively important we attend. We are a close-knit group and one big family and one of the main reasons for that is Vichai – so it’s massively important.nn”He wasn’t just a chairman, he literally was part of your extended family.”nn nnThe night before he died, pilot Mr Swaffer emailed a carpet company requesting a blue runner for the helicopter.nnThe firm’s managing director Myles Shaw said it had now been personalised with the Leicester City logo and was being sent to the club.nn”It was something we needed to do,” Mr Shaw added.nn
Premier League
Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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