• Katarina Johnson-Thompson is one of the biggest names on the Team GB Olympics roster

  • Known by sports fans as KJT, the British athlete is fancied to challenge for a medal at Tokyo 2021 

  • Johnson-Thompson won gold at the 2019 World Championships, breaking the British heptathlon record in the process


 


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Hassan Ammar / AP Photo*

July 2, 2021

By Alex McMahon

Alex McMahon Sport
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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
 

Alex McMahon
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  • Duncan Scott has won gold medals at three successive World Championships in recent years

  • The Team GB swimmer is looking to add to his two silver medals from Rio 2016

  • Scott snubbed the controversial Sun Yang on the podium at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships


One of the most reliable swimmers on the Great Britain swimming squad, Duncan Scott has gained a wealth of experience since breaking onto the international scene.

Scott was outstanding for Team GB in Rio 2016 and he is likely to play a key role for the squad in Paris this summer – he is a pivotal member of the relay teams and sports betting fans will recognise the name.

While most of Scott’s World Championship medals have come as part of the team, he has set several British records and an individual Olympic medal could be on the cards.

Without further ado, it is time to take a closer look at Duncan Scott and his swimming career – fingers crossed the Scottish athlete will be celebrating success this summer.

Duncan Scott vs Sun Yang

In July 2019, Duncan Scott hit the headlines after snubbing Chinese swimmer Sun Yang on the podium following his victory in the 200m freestyle at the World Championships.

Sun was facing a doping case at the time and was awarded the win after Lithuanian Danas Rapsys was disqualified for a false start in a dramatic race.

The British swimmer congratulated silver medallist Katsuhiro Matsumoto and joint-third Martin Malyutin but opted to blank Sun on the podium.

This sparked angry scenes in the aftermath, with the controversial Chinese swimmer shouting “you’re a loser, I’m a winner” while gesturing aggressively at Scott.

Furthermore, Scott refused to take part in the customary group photograph on the podium and held back from Sun as the athletes walked off the stage.

While Scott refused to elaborate on his actions at the team, he received support from fellow Team GB swimmer Adam Peaty and other leading figures in the sport.

Sun was handed an eight-year ban after being found guilty of doping but had his suspension reduced. He will, however, still miss the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Duncan Scott Age

How old is Duncan Scott? At the time of writing, Scott is 24 years old.

Born in Glasgow on May 6th 1997, Scott is approaching the prime of his career and he is very proud of his Scottish heritage.

In fact, Scott decided to stay in his native Scotland to attend Stirling University, graduating in July 2021 ahead of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Duncan Scott Coach

Steven Tigg is the man tasked with coaching Duncan Scott to Olympic glory but he is more than capable of doing just that – it would be great if Scott can claim a first gold medal.

The Scottish Swimming national team coach for the best part of a decade, Tigg has trained some of the greatest athletes to grace the pool.

In addition, Tigg is also the Head Performance Swimming Coach at the University of Stirling and he has formed a close bond with Scott during his time at the establishment.

Tigg and Scott will be captured together at Tokyo 2021 and punters looking for Olympics betting tips should consider backing the 24-year-old to clinch gold in Japan.


*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

March 21, 2024

By Alex McMahon

Alex McMahon Sport
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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
 

Alex McMahon
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  • Peter Shilton is the most capped England player of all-time

  • Ten England players have recorded over 100 caps, including Bobby Moore and David Beckham

  • 15 nations have 10 or more players with 100+ international caps


The list of the most capped England players features World Cup winners and modern greats.

While England have often failed those who enjoy betting on football, there has been no shortage of elite talent to pull on the Three Lions jersey.

Nine England players have registered over 100 caps. There are several in the current England squad who will be eyeing that landmark before long.

Here are the 10 most capped England players of all-time…

11) Bryan Robson – 90 caps

Only Bobby Moore and Billy Wright have captained England more than Bryan Robson. Captain Marvel led the Three Lions out on 65 occasions.

The former Manchester United midfielder was not only a leader of men.

His whole-hearted midfield play was the driving force of countless England teams, and it’s no surprise that managers and players he worked with speak of his England career so positively.

T-9) Billy Wright – 105 caps

Playing decades before most of the players on this list, Billy Wright made his 105th England appearance in 1959, seven years before the Three Lions lifted the World Cup.

He spent his entire club career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was named the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1952.

Wright was the record holder for only a few years, but he remained in the top three for several decades after his retirement.

An increase in international matches (particularly friendlies and qualifiers) has seen many modern stars pass the former Arsenal manager.

T-9) Harry Kane -- 105 caps

England's all-time leading goal scorer is tied for the ninth-most caps for the Three Lions. Kane, who has scored 71 times for his country, is on course to break the record given how often he is available for England. 

One of the best players of his generation, the former Tottenham striker won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup and starred as England reached the final of the Euros in 2021 and 2024. 

8) Frank Lampard – 106 caps

Only nine players have scored more goals for England than Frank Lampard. While never as prolific as he was in the blue of Chelsea, Lampard was reliable for the Three Lions until his final appearance in 2014.

Numerous managers could not find a way to get the best out of Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

Even with those difficulties, and with his role often changing, Lampard racked up 106 caps to go alongside his 647 cub appearances.

7) Sir Bobby Charlton – 106 caps

A World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner, Bobby Charlton had a spectacular career at club and international level. His rounded midfield game made him a player who could both contribute to goals and dictate the match.

He was England’s all-time top scorer until relatively recently. His 49 goals in 106 caps was a brilliant return.

Although a different generation from many others in this list, Charlton’s standing in the English game will never be forgotten.

6) Ashley Cole – 107 caps

Ashley Cole was the best left-back of his era. Frustrations about his transfer from Arsenal to Chelsea, and unnecessary reporting on his private life impacted his reputation among fans, and overshadowed what a player he was.

Cole achieved it all at club level. For England, there was often unfair criticism of him, and peculiar speculation about his place in the team.

England have never had a better left-back than Ashley Cole. He deserved every one of his 107 caps.

5) Bobby Moore – 108 caps

The word ‘legend’ is thrown around in sport. If it is ever appropriate for a footballer, it’s the perfect way to describe Bobby Moore.

Moore might be best remembered in England as the skipper of the World Cup winning team, but his brilliance as a player as well as a leader should not be overlooked.

Many all-time greats have named Moore as the best defender ever. He was resolute, hard in the challenge and read the game wonderfully.

On top of that, he had the technical ability to ping balls out from the back. Moore is probably England’s greatest ever player.

4) Steven Gerrard – 114 caps

Steven Gerrard’s England career was muddled. Managers made him a square peg in a round hole. The perennial Gerrard, Lampard and Paul Scholes question provided hours of debate and years of dilemmas for England managers.

Gerrard was one of the best Premier League midfielders of all time but his generation ultimately never lived up to expectation.

Perhaps it was to do with unity or maybe it was managerial failings, but Gerrard’s commitment and talent was always on show when he pulled on an England shirt.

3) David Beckham – 115 caps

The most famous English footballer of the last two decades, David Beckham’s ability on the pitch can sometimes get lost amid his celebrity status.

At his peak, Beckham was everything for England. He put in match-winning performances. He had moments of controversy, but those frustrations were outweighed by the glory.

His free-kick against Greece to seal qualification is a memory that will live forever with every England fan.

2) Wayne Rooney – 120 caps

With 53 goals, Wayne Rooney is England’s leading goalscorer. It’s a record that may get snatched off him by Harry Kane in the coming years, but that will not downplay how great Rooney was for his country for such a long time.

Breaking through as a teenager, Rooney was the great hope in the middle of the noughties.

As he continued to impact Premier League odds at Manchester United as one of the very best players in the world, the pressure was always on him when tournaments rolled round.

Injuries, fatigue and form impacted his tournament performances, but Rooney’s desire to compete for the Three Lions could never be questioned.

1) Peter Shilton – 125 caps

Peter Shilton might lead all England players, but he’s way down the list of the most international caps of all-time. Tied at 145th, Shilton’s tally of 125 is the same as David Silva, Sergio Busquets and Roberto Carlos.

While his longevity is unquestionably impressive, Shilton’s isn’t widely regarded as the best English goalkeeper of all-time. That honour falls to Gordon Banks. Banks, like Shilton, spent much of his career at Leicester and Stoke.

Shilton shares the record for the most World Cup clean sheets in history, despite only making his World Cup debut when he was 32. 


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Kirsty Wigglesworth, File / AP Photo*

July 2, 2021
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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  • Richard Dunne is the all-time leader of Premier League own goals with seven

  • From iconic defenders to cult heroes, an array of players feature among the most own goals in Premier League history

  • Read below for a complete list of the Premier League’s leaders in an unwanted category


Sometimes Premier League own goals swing football betting. Sometimes they break hearts, and sometimes it is a moment of comedy destined to show up on montages for years to come.

Amid all the Premier League records to hold, scoring the most own goals might just be the most unwanted. It takes a certain type of defender, some misfortune, and a lot of Premier League matches played to feature on this list.

Even players who have a claim to a place in an all-time Premier League XI rank in the top 10 in own goals.

Plenty of familiar names feature below. Others are less well-known. Here are the all-time leading Premier League own goal scorers…

Players With 5 PL Own Goals

Rio Ferdinand, Richard Rufus, Neil Ruddock, John O’Shea, Phil Neville, Gareth McAuley, Zat Knight, Federico Fernandez, Lewis Dunk, Michael Duberry, Scott Dann and Henning Berg are all tied on five own goals apiece.

Ferdinand has a case as the best defender in Premier League history. With 504 appearances, though, five own goals isn’t exactly surprising.

Others are more remarkable. Lewis Dunk has plenty of years to climb this list.

https://www.888sport.com/blog/football-prediction

Richard Rufus played just 99 times in the Premier League, averaging an own goal roughly once every 20 matches – making him a top pick in Premier League odds for scoring own goals.

Federico Fernandez has played around double as many times as Rufus, but he’s still around 300 appearances behind Ferdinand.

Dunk and Fernandez could yet break into the next tier of Premier League own goal scorers. Let’s move on to the group with six own goals each.

Frank Sinclair - 6

Across long stints with Chelsea and Leicester, Frank Sinclair amassed six own goals in the Premier League. Where others are surprise inclusions here, Sinclair is a player known for his own goals.

He was a cult hero in west London. Always giving every ounce of energy, and throwing his body all over the pitch, Sinclair might not have been the smoothest in possession, but he was invaluable to his teams.

Ryan Shawcross - 6

Few have excelled at the undervalued art of last ditch defending quite like Ryan Shawcross. A warrior for bruising Stoke teams, Shawcross was a leader of men and Potteries hero.

His defensive play was at times divisive. It was ultimately effective, though, as the Potters stuck in the Premier League for longer than any expected.

With deep defence and a love for bold blocks, Shawcross was always an own goal candidate. In a career like his, six is a reasonable tally.

With the hard-nosed approach to the game, Shawcross also ranks joint-51st in all-time yellow cards, just ahead of Branislav Ivanovic.

Jonny Evans – 6

From Manchester United to West Brom and Leicester, Jonny Evans has enjoyed a long and successful career in the top flight. The Northern Ireland international continues to deliver at the highest level deep into his thirties.

Evans has adapted to different systems and different central defensive partners as he has changed clubs.

Whether needing to mark powerful forwards or organising a low block, Evans has proven himself to be an impactful defender.

The three Premier League winners’ medals probably outdo the six own goals.

Wes Brown – 6 

Just like John O’Shea and Jonny Evans, Wes Brown is best remembered for his days in the red of Manchester United - during the peak of their Premier League predictions powers.

Brown was a versatile, reliable player during the best days of the Alex Ferguson era.

Brown is in the odd position of having more own goals than goals scored. He scored just four times in over 300 Premier League appearances.

If looking at appearances per own goal, Brown ranks relatively well compared to some others in this list.

Martin Skrtel - 7

Martin Skrtel was the exact type of defender to rack up the own goals. The last-ditch, blood-and-guts nature of Skrtel’s game fitted perfectly with the image of an own goal specialist.

Skrtel was alarmingly keen to put his body on the line, which often resulted in unfortunate deflections into his own net.

Skrtel played 242 times in the Premier League for Liverpool. While his game wasn’t flawless, he could never be accused of bottling a challenge or not trying.

His seven own goals were varying degrees of embarrassing, but it was well worth it for the times his never-say-die attitude saved Liverpool.

Phil Jagielka - 7

Only 51 players in Premier League history have made more appearances than Phil Jagielka.

A stalwart for Everton, Jagielka ascended to earn numerous England caps, and often provided stability across eras on Merseyside.

He bookended his Everton stint with periods at Sheffield United. Yorkshire is where Jagielka made his name, and he returned in 2019.

Twice named Everton’s Player of the Season, the Sale-born centre-back is one of the Toffees’ best players since the turn of the century.

Jamie Carragher - 7

A Premier League medal might have eluded Jamie Carragher, but that’s not to downplay his legacy. The Sky Sports pundit was involved in several tight title races, and he ranks ninth all-time in Premier League appearances.

With his varied skillset, he could easily have gone down as one of the best Premier League midfielders had he made the transition further up the pitch.

So often left as the last line of the defence, though, Carragher was also an own goal candidate throughout his career.

Seven isn’t an awful haul given how long he played, but some of the own goals are particularly comical.

Richard Dunne – 10

What a claim to fame. Richard Dunne and own goals are synonymous.

Dunne enjoyed a long and solid Premier League career, but unfortunately this most undesirable of honours is how he will be best remembered.

Playing for Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and QPR, Dunne played in 431 Premier League matches. His rate of own goals actually isn’t as bad as many others.

Playing for so long, however, means he’s clear at the top of this list.

July 19, 2021
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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