Sports
Chelsea player ratings: James 8/10 for stunning free kick in thrilling draw at Newcastle
Chelsea completed a remarkable second-half comeback to leave St James’ Park with a 2-2 draw after Newcastle United had roared into a 2-0 halftime lead in a breathless Premier League encounter.
A brilliant free kick from captain Reece James on 49 minutes — Chelsea’s 50th goal in all competitions this season — completely changed the complexion of a game that Newcastle looked in danger of running away with at the break. João Pedro then drew Chelsea level on 66 minutes, showing the coolest of heads to slot past Aaron Ramsdale in the Newcastle goal.
Inspired by England‘s Anthony Gordon, Newcastle began the game at a pace that Chelsea simply couldn’t handle. After a miserable afternoon in the Tyne-Wear derby last weekend, the home side’s fans were given the perfect antidote to that shock defeat to Sunderland in an incredible opening 45 minutes.
Nick Woltemade was the pantomime villain in that derby-day defeat, scoring an own goal as the Black Cats won that match 1-0. But it took him just four minutes to erase that memory by opening the scoring, and he added a second goal on 20 minutes.
At that point, Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League push looked to have stalled completely. But after their second-half comeback, they head into the festive period in high spirits.
Positives
Completely overrun in the first half, Chelsea looked shell-shocked as Newcastle sprinted into a 2-0 lead. But their second-half display showed this is a side who never known when they’re beaten.
Negatives
Chelsea can’t afford to start matches the way they started this one. Their defending for the second goal, when Woltemade was played onside, also needs addressing. The effort required to pull this game back might also be a concern ahead of a hectic Christmas period, although this is a side with strength in depth.
Manager rating out of 10
Enzo Maresca, 8 — Chelsea were slow to react to Newcastle’s high press in a first half that the Geordies utterly dominated, but it must have been some halftime team talk from their manager. His Chelsea side were completely unrecognizable in a brilliant second-half performance.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Robert Sánchez, 7 — Pulled off a great save to deny Anthony Gordon on four minutes but was powerless to stop the loose ball from being slammed home by Woltemade, and there was nothing he could do about Newcastle’s second. Also claimed an assist with his long kick upfield that led to João Pedro’s leveler.
DF Marc Cucurella, 7 — The man rival fans just to love to hate. Never relinquished his defensive duties but still a threat going forward as Chelsea fought their way back into the game.
DF Trevoh Chalobah, 6 — Too slow to move up for Newcastle’s second goal and struggled against their aggressive forward line in the opening period. More than made up for it as part of a stunning second-half performance from the visitors, although he may consider himself fortunate not to concede a penalty for a barge on Gordon.
DF Wesley Fofana, 6 — Gave away the ball for Newcastle’s first goal, as Gordon dispossessed the defender as he moved into Chelsea’s midfield.
DF Malo Gusto, 5 –– Booked in the first half for protesting over the non-award of a free kick. Never let his head drop in the face of Newcastle’s bombardment but not given a moment’s peace by Gordon. Replaced early in the second half.
MF Moisés Caicedo, 7 — Most of Chelsea’s best work revolves around the Ecuador international, but Newcastle’s incredible midfield running meant he couldn’t bring his influence to bear until the second half. Instrumental in some of Chelsea’s best moments as they clawed their way back into the game.
MF Reece James, 8 — Never given an opportunity to settle as Newcastle’s midfield over-ran their London opponents in the first half but started the second period with a sensational free kick that completely changed the momentum of the game. Did superbly at right back after Enzo Fernández‘s introduction.
MF Alejandro Garnacho, 5 — Booked in the first half, and lucky to escape a red card, which was probably his most significant contribution of a forgettable opening period for the visitors. Did have a powerful shot blocked but struggled to make an impact against an inexperienced full-back in the form of Lewis Miley.
MF Cole Palmer, 6 — An elegant chip within the first two minutes gave notice of his attacking intentions but rarely threatened thereafter. He will have better afternoons and is still the Chelsea player most capable of moments of magic.
MF Pedro Neto, 7 — Had a goal disallowed as the clock ticked down in the first half, with the Portugal winger adjudged to have handled. One of Chelsea’s most lively attackers in a true game of two halves.
FW João Pedro, 7 — Largely anonymous as Chelsea’s attacking opportunities were strictly limited in the first half but more than made up for it with the coolest of finishes to equalize, squeezing the ball past the on-rushing Ramsdale.
Substitutes
Enzo Fernández (Gusto, 54′), 7 — Brought on to bring some additional creativity to the Chelsea midfield, with James moving to right back. Fernández brought craft, energy and cool-head to the Blues’ engine room.
Andrey Santos (Palmer, 79′), N/R — Introduced in the last 10 minutes and understandably struggled to adapt to the pace of an incredible game.
Sports
Netflix documentary director on Hulk Hogan’s Trump support and the backlash that followed him to the end
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In his final appearance for WWE, Hulk Hogan, undoubtedly the greatest wrestler in the history of the company, was booed.
By the time Jan. 6, 2025, his last appearance, had rolled around, Hogan became outwardly supportive of President Donald Trump, which turned off some of his followers.
“But he never expressed regret. He stood by who he was,” Brian Storkel, the director of Netflix’s upcoming documentary on the late wrestler, said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
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Businessman Donald Trump and World Champion Wrestler Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania Vl Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey March 29 1987. (Jeffrey Asher/Getty Images)
Hogan had done five days of interviews with Netflix, totaling 25 hours. However, he will not get to see the final product, as he died in July at the age of 71.
Long before becoming an outward Trump supporter, Hogan had been involved in some controversies in the past. But from the jump, Storkel wanted to “humanize him and really get to know Terry Bollea, the person.”
“With all the subjects in my documentaries, I don’t like viewing people in black-and-white terms. Even if someone has done wrong, I don’t see them as purely good or evil. People are more complex than that, and that nuance is where the story becomes interesting,” Storkel said. “You need a subject willing to go there, reflect, and be open — and Terry was.”
Hogan began to be more public with his support for Trump after an assassination attempt in July 2024.
“He said he’d supported him quietly for a long time but felt embarrassed to wear the hat. He mentioned that the assassination attempt was what pushed him to speak out. Soon after, he was speaking publicly and took some backlash for it,” Storkel said.
Hulk Hogan, professional entertainer and wrestler, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. (IMAGN Syndication: USA TODAY)
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
Ironically, the last time Storkel chatted with Hogan was right after an interview with Trump for the documentary.
“I was at the White House, just outside the West Wing, on a call with Hulk Hogan, which was the weirdest thing. It felt like one of those surreal moments you’d imagine as a kid — a made-up story you’d tell people. I had just spent time with Donald Trump, something Hulk Hogan had set up so I could interview him, and then I’m standing there talking to Hogan about it. He was so excited it had happened,” Storkel recalled.
“At that point, he was already in and out of the hospital after surgery, so that ended up being the last call I had with him.”
Storkel admitted that not much was different about the documentary following Hogan’s death from his original plans, outside of some late tributes and more time with his son, Nick. Storkel was doing interviews for the documentary at WWE headquarters in Connecticut the day Hogan died.
“There’s also a moment in the film where I say we’ll come back in a couple of months for another interview. He agrees and walks out of frame—and that ends up being the last time. It becomes a powerful moment because you realize that follow-up never happens,” Storkel said.
But no matter the case, Storkel felt a responsibility to tell the story of the greatest.
Nick Hogan and Hulk Hogan during VH1 Big in ’05 – Backstage and Audience at Sony Studios in Los Angeles, California. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
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“With every project, I want to be fair and accurate. Of course I want the people involved to feel good about it, but I won’t change the truth to make that happen,” Storkel said. “With Hulk, getting to know him personally made it more important to honor him properly. Yes, he was flawed and polarizing, but he was also a caring person with a big personality.
“I didn’t want his legacy reduced to a single label or judged solely on politics or past mistakes. My goal was to show the full human being. Regardless of how people feel going in, I think they’ll come away with a deeper understanding of who he was. I really valued getting to know him, and I hope the audience gets that same experience through the documentary.”
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Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to field first against Peshawar Zalmi in the 29th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Playing XIs
Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris (wk), Babar Azam (c), Kusal Mendis, Aaron Hardie, Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Basit and Ali Raza.
Quetta Gladiators: Shamyl Hussain, Saud Shakeel (c), Rilee Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Jahandad Khan, Saqib Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
Head-to-head
Historically, both sides have faced each other 27 times, with Zalmi leading with 14 wins, followed by the Gladiators with 12, while one match has ended in a no result.
Their last meeting came at the same venue in the ongoing edition earlier this week, which saw the leaders prevailing comfortably by eight wickets.
- Matches: 27
- Peshawar Zalmi: 14
- Quetta Gladiators: 12
- No Result: 1
Form Guide
Zalmi and Gladiators enter the fixture with contrasting momentum as the 2017 champions are on a five-match winning streak, besides holding the distinction of being the only unbeaten side in the ongoing PSL 11 standings.
The Zalmi, as a result, have already booked their spot in the playoffs as they sit at the summit of the standings with 13 points in seven matches.
Gladiators, on the other hand, have just two victories in their last five matches, but are fresh from a resounding six-wicket triumph over holders Lahore Qalandars.
Peshawar Zalmi: W, W, W, W, W (most recent first)
Quetta Gladiators: W, L, W, L, L
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LAS VEGAS – One of the best WrestleMania 42 moments on Saturday night occurred outside of the ring.
NFL star George Kittle and NBA star Tyrese Haliburton were among the professional athletes in attendance for Night 1 of the event, which later featured Cody Rhodes retaining his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton in the main event.
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George Kittle and Tyrese Haliburton attend WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE/Getty Images)
Kittle and Haliburton were showcased as two stars who were at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the event. Haliburton was about to drink his beer when Kittle intercepted it away and chugged it for him. The WWE crowd was frenzied after Kittle’s steal.
https://x.com/netflixsports/status/2045632212922728821
Both Kittle and Haliburton are major WWE fans and have been at multiple events, including getting involved in matches.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
George Kittle attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Kittle clotheslined The Miz at WrestleMania 39. He previously revealed he’s a big fan of Penta, who is defending his Intercontinental Championship in a six-man ladder match on Sunday.
Haliburton previously went face-to-face with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson on an episode of “Friday Night SmackDown.”
For now, it doesn’t appear as though either will enter a WWE ring anytime soon.
Kittle suffered a torn Achilles in January, ending his 2026 season with the San Francisco 49ers on a sour note.
George Kittle and Chuck Zito attend WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE/Getty Images)
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Haliburton is also recovering from a torn Achilies he suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year. He also opened up about battling shingles as he tries to return to the floor for the Indiana Pacers.
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