Cristiano Ronaldo scored his fourth goal in three games yesterday, as Manchester United emerged 2-1 winners away to West Ham after surviving a late scare at the London Stadium. The hosts took the lead through Saïd Benrahma's deflected strike before Ronaldo equalised five minutes later, turning home a Bruno Fernandes cross. The second-half was dogged by penalty controversy with Ronaldo being denied a couple of clear shouts before former Hammers loanee Jesse Lingard gave the visitors the lead with an 89th minute rocket. In the 95th minute West Ham were awarded a penalty after a Luke Shaw handball - Mark Noble was substituted on to take it but saw his effort saved by David de Gea, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side held on for all three points. Later in the afternoon Chelsea gave another showing of their title credentials as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in north London. Honours were even at half-time but the emergence of N'Golo Kante sparked Thomas Tuchel's side into life, with the midfielder's deflected strike sandwiched between goals from centre-backs Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger. In yesterday's other Premier League fixture Brighton continued their fine start to the season with a 2-1 win at home to Leicester, as the Seagulls swooped up to fourth.
The Ryder Cup gets underway this week, and in his column this morning Malachy Clerkin has asked why a tournament which shouldn't work on paper is likely to leave us all gripped until Sunday night. He writes: "It is, in many ways, a nonsense event. A pro competition played for amateur stakes, a trumped-up, made-for-TV piece of sporting contrivance, laid on for fans who couldn't give less of a rat's ass who wins or loses and who will immediately forget all about it the second it finishes. Wouldn't miss it for the world." Meanwhile Philip Reid has looked at Team USA and captain Steve Stricker, who has 11 of the world's top-16 at his disposal this week: "More than most past teams, this is very much Stricker's own team. He had more wild card picks, the ability to pick his own men for 50 per cent of the actual team. He can pick and chose how and who to play in sessions, and knows that the hand is, for the main, the one he selected himself." You can get to know Team USA HERE. And you can find profiles of Team Europe HERE.
Ireland women got their hopes of reaching the 2021 Rugby World Cup back on track yesterday, as they recovered from a shock defeat to Spain to beat Italy 15-7 in Parma. Tries from Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe helped set up the victory, with qualification now set to go down to the wire. Ireland are now second in the group with all four teams on five points after Scotland's win over Spain. Ireland have a points difference of +7 with Italy on +10.
Elsewhere in his column this morning Ken Early has asked how Pep Guardiola might cope with the pressure of a four-way title race after a difficult week for the Catalan manager. Guardiola has been in a war of words with his own supporters after pleading with them to attend Saturday's fixture against Southampton, which ended in a goalless draw at the Etihad. Early writes: "Lose that [against Chelsea] and City are six points down and the whole world will be pointing out to Guardiola that if he had any brains he would have signed a centre forward, like Chelsea. How will he cope with the provocation? If his response this week to mild criticism from his own fans - the people who sing his name at every game - is any guide, there may be trouble ahead."
And yesterday saw the death of Tottenham and England great Jimmy Greaves, aged 81.
