Soccer - Sanchez expected to step up
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is to put his trust in summer signing Alexis Sanchez after learning that Olivier Giroud will be sidelined until the end of the year. Sanchez, who joined the Gunners from Barcelona, opened his goalscoring account for his new club with the crucial winner against Besiktas which secured a Champions League group stage spot on Wednesday evening. And, with Giroud likely to be out of action until the turn of the year due to a broken leg, Chile frontman Sanchez, 25/1 with bet365 to be leading goalscorer in the Premier League this season, will be expected to shoulder the burden. Wenger said after a nervy win over Besiktas: "Alexis had a good game. He was mobile, dangerous and showed great fighting spirit. "These are qualities that will be important in the Premier League." Sanchez netted 39 goals in 88 La Liga appearances for Barca before heading to England, having previously made his name in Italy with Udinese.
Cricket - Jordan urged to keep it straight
Fast bowler Chris Jordan has been warned that he needs to improve if he is to keep his place in the England side for the rest of the one-day series against India. Sussex seamer Jordan suffered a nightmare in the second ODI in Cardiff on Wednesday, conceding 73 runs from ten overs, including 12 wides, as England were beaten by 133 runs. Captain Alastair Cook warned after the heavy defeat: "Unfortunately it's not always going to be a smooth ride for any of these young players and he'll learn from it. "But he has got a great attitude to improving and he'll know that you can't keep bowling wides because it hurts the side. "He'll know that more than anyone, he's an honest lad and when he gets it right he's a fantastic bowler." England, who are 10/11 with bet365 to win the third ODI in Nottingham on Saturday, have Harry Gurney and Steven Finn as alternative options should they opt to leave Jordan out.
Tennis - Wawrinka ready to mount challenge
Third seed Stan Wawrinka is confident his game is improving all the time, having reached the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, where he hopes to mount a title challenge. Australian Open champion Wawrinka, 12/1 with bet365 to win the US Open, came close to being taken to five sets by Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, before hitting back from a break down in the fourth set to secure a 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 win. Despite this, the Swiss was quite content with his performance, telling reporters: "In general, I think it's been a great match. My level is there, I'm playing better. "The serve was really good, my focus also. I know what I did wrong, but I'm not worried at all. I know the more matches I win, the better I will play." Wawrinka, who made the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows 12 months ago, faces Slovenian Blaz Kavcic in round three, having won the only previous meeting between the two men on clay in Casablanca.
Soccer betting tips
