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Villa Park will be the first stadium to host Premier League football without supporters on WednesdayThe Premier League's "Project Restart" finally sees mission accomplished on Wednesday when - exactly 100 days after it all stopped - the great national escapism of domestic football resumes again.Aston Villa will walk out to face Sheffield United in a world that has changed and in a sporting landscape transformed by the global Covid-19 pandemic, in this instance from the usual seething mass of the Holte End to a virtually deserted high-security stadium.It was Villa who saw the last Premier League action in a 4-0…

Ian Wright was recently sent racist abuse on social mediaPremier League players wearing 'Black Lives Matter' on their shirts shows the league wants to be on the right side of history, says Ian Wright.Players' names will be replaced on the back of their shirts with 'Black Lives Matter' for the first 12 matches of the restarted season.A Black Lives Matter badge will feature on all playing shirts for the rest of the season."What the Premier League have done, is to give them the power," said Wright."Wes Morgan and Troy Deeney, the way they've got that going with the rest of…

Collin Morikawa (right) congratulates fellow American Daniel Berger after their play-off at Colonial Country ClubCharles Schwab Challenge - final leaderboard-15 D Berger (US)*, C Morikawa (US); -14 J Kokrak (US), B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng), X Schauffele (US)Selected: -13 B Watson (US), P Reed (US); -11 J Spieth (US, J Thomas (US); -9 H Varner III (US); -7 I Poulter (Eng); -6 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), R McIlroy (NI)* denotes winner after play-offCollin Morikawa missed a three-foot putt to hand Daniel Berger victory as the first PGA Tour event in three months finished in a play-off in Texas.An eerie silence…

Lionel Messi has 20 goals and 14 assists in La Liga this seasonBarcelona scored 66 seconds into their return to action as Lionel Messi completed a comfortable 4-0 win at Mallorca in La Liga.Arturo Vidal headed the opener and former Middlesbrough striker Martin Braithwaite added his first for the club before the break.Luis Suarez came off the bench to make his first appearance since early January and Jordi Alba made it 3-0.Lionel Messi scored his 20th league goal of the season late on.Barca are now five points clear at the top of the table, and while Real will aim to…

Rory McIlroy needed a birdie on the last to equal the course record of 61 but finished with a bogeyCharles Schwab Challenge, round two leaderboard-11 H Varner III (US); -10 J Spieth (US), B DeChambeau (US); -9 C Morikawa (US), X Schauffele (US), R McIlroy (NI)Selected:-8 J Thomas (US), J Rose (Eng); -4 B Koepka (US), I Poulter (Eng); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng)World number one Rory McIlroy hit a sensational seven-under par 63 to move within two shots of American leader Harold Varner III at the halfway stage of the PGA Tour's return in Texas.McIlroy holed an eagle and six…

World champion Judd Trump won his group but failed to reach the final fourSnooker's return has been likened to the TV reality show Big Brother, and when Luca Brecel lifted the Championship League trophy on Thursday it marked the end of a successful fortnight for the sport.Belgium's Brecel emerged victorious from a field of 64 players at an empty Marshall Arena, which had in place strict restrictions because of the ongoing the coronavirus pandemic.A non-ranking event with matches played in a best-of-four format, the Championship League's profile was boosted by the presence of star names including world champion and world…

McIlroy practiced with Dustin Johnson at Colonial Country Club on WednesdayCharles Schwab Challenge - return of the PGA TourDates: 11-14 June Venue: Fort Worth, TexasCoverage: BBC Sport will have live coverage of all four days with commentary on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra and text updates on the BBC Sport websiteThe PGA Tour's decision to leave vacant the 08:46 tee time at this week's comeback event in Texas in memory of George Floyd is "a wonderful gesture" says world number one Rory McIlroy.Eight minutes 46 seconds was the length of time African American Floyd lay dying beneath the knee…

O'Neill was appointed Stoke boss in November with the Potters bottom of the ChampionshipStoke City manager Michael O'Neill has tested positive for Covid-19 after the latest round of testing on Monday.A planned practice match between Stoke and Manchester United was cancelled at short notice on Tuesday once the situation became apparent.Stoke had arrived at United's Carrington training base and were in the academy building when they found out.O'Neill, 50, had tested negative in the previous five rounds of testing.Stoke said the former Northern Ireland boss will now follow the relevant guidance and have a period of isolation.The Championship club also…

Media playback is not supported on this device Raheem Sterling: 'We have no representation in the hierarchy'Progress in the fight against racism will only come in football when more black players become managers, England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling says.Thousands of people have taken part in anti-racism marches in the UK, following the death of American George Floyd on 25 May in Minneapolis."The protest is a great starting point, to make your voice be heard," he said. "But just protesting alone is not going to make a change in this country."Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme, the 25-year-old added:…

Media playback is not supported on this device Raheem Sterling: "The only disease right now is the racism that we're fighting"England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has backed protests taking place across the UK, saying "the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting".Thousands of people have taken part in Black Lives Matter marches in the UK, despite government warnings to avoid mass gatherings because of the threat of coronavirus."This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years," Sterling, 25, said.Large protests have…