Saturday, 30 November 2024
LEWIS HAMILTON MAKES ALARMING ADMISSION AT QATAR GP THAT FERRARI HOPE WON'T CONTINUE
Lewis Hamilton has two more races left with Mercedes before he moves to Ferrari for the 2025 season - and the 39-year-old is not feeling good about his prospects
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| Lewis Hamilton cut a dejected figure after qualifying on Friday (Image: Song Haiyuan/Getty Images) |
A dejected Lewis Hamilton admitted he is “definitely not fast anymore” after another disappointing performance in qualifying.
Hamilton could only qualify seventh for the sprint race in Qatar and was 0.399 seconds slower than George Russell. His Mercedes team-mate will begin second on Saturday behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The 39-year-old has been consistently out-performed by Russell this season and suffered another setback in the penultimate weekend of the 2024 campaign. Hamilton will join up with Ferrari for next season and his comments in Qatar may well raise questions at the team.
"It was the same as every other qualifying, not that great," Hamilton stated. “I'm just slow. Same every weekend. The car felt relatively decent. No issues. Not really much more to say."
When asked if the problems might not be with him, but with the car, Hamilton replied: "Who knows? I'm definitely not fast anymore."
The downbeat veteran driver struggled to find any positives from the performance. "The long run didn't feel too bad," added Hamilton. "But, when you're back where I am, it makes it almost impossible to compete for wins. But that's the Sprint. I will do what I can [on Saturday]."
Asked whether there were any positives, Hamilton concluded: "Not particularly. The positive is the car is fast and George should be able to shoot for pole tomorrow."
Hamilton is an all-time great of the sport, having won seven championships. He holds the all-time record for poles, on 104 – well clear of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher ’s 68 – but has struggled for form in recent years.
The Brit sits seventh in the standings with two races left in the season and his record compared to Russell this year is cause for concern for Ferrari. The younger man holds a 22-6 head-to-head qualifying advantage across the sport's two formats this year.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has asked Mercedes to release Hamilton early, so that he can test drive his new car, but the request has not been granted. "I know Fred wanted it to happen,” Hamilton said. “For me, I was in two minds. Driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi does not excite me. In a perfect world, you get to drive it, not be seen, and do the first rollout next year.
"When I did raise it, obviously with Toto [Wolff, Mercedes team principal], they had all these plans that I have got to go and see some of the sponsors and say their farewells.
"So I do not think it was ever going to actually be allowed, even if I had asked to have done it, because I am contracted to the team until December 31st and that is totally fine. But it does not bother me, again, because I was not going to do the test.
"It is not what I wanted to do. I told Fred that it is not what I wanted to do. Am I missing out on something? For sure. It definitely delays the process and makes the start of the year harder, but we will do our best to recover."
- Felix KeithSports Reporter
JANSEN BOWLS SOUTH AFRICA TO TEST WIN OVER SRI LANKA
South Africa have wrapped up a 233-run first-Test win over Sri Lanka as seamer Marco Jansen finished with an 11-wicket haul.
The tourists were set an improbable 516 target and started the fourth day in a deep hole at 5-103 but they were all out for 282, hastened by the dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal, who led their resistance with 83.
After Chandimal was out caught and bowled by Gerald Coetzee, Sri Lanka's last three wickets folded for 11 runs in the next six overs.
Jansen took the last two wickets for 4-73 in the innings and 11-86 in the match - the second best in test history in Durban - for his maiden 10-for in his 14th test.
Appropriately, he secured the win in a Test in which he was the star performer by bowling Asitha Fernando.
"I never thought I would get 10 wickets. It is a dream and that is what we work for. The second innings we felt the wicket was low and slow and a bit flatter," the tall medium pace said.
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| Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandima's led Sri Lanka's brief resistance before dismissed for 83 on Saturday. (AP PHOTO) |
His efforts ensured South Africa secured a fourth-straight Test win and kept alive their hopes of a place in the 2025 World Test Championship final.
"The conditions were favourable for seamers," Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said.
"Batting always felt tricky, you never felt in."
This latest victory followed Test successes over West Indies in Guyana in August and Bangladesh in a two-test series in October.
South Africa will have a strong chance of competing in the Championship final at Lord's in London next June if they win the second Test against the Sri Lankans and then two Tests versus Pakistan at home at the end of the year and in early January.
The Proteas have moved up to second on the Championship table, behind India and above Australia having remained unbeaten in seven tests since February, winning six.
The second Test against Sri Lanka starts in Gqeberha on Thursday.
- AP
QATAR SPRINT RACE: LANDO NORRIS HAND VICTORY TO MCLAREN TEAMMATE OSCAR PIASTRI
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| Getty |
Lando Norris handed victory at Saturday's Qatar sprint race to McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, repaying the favour the Australian gave him at the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race earlier this year.
In Brazil, Piastri gave up the lead of the sprint race to let Norris win to maximise his teammate's chances of beating Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.
With the title decided in Verstappen's favour at last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix, Norris returned the favour by letting Piastri through for victory on the final lap.
The McLaren one-two victory strengthened the team's chances of securing its first constructors' title in 26 years, by extending its lead in the standings to 30 points over rivals Ferrari.
- Laurence Edmondson
LIVERPOOL AND MAN CITY'S SIMILARITIES, SALAH'S CONTRACT SAGA
Welcome to a new season of Onside/Offside! Luis Miguel Echegaray shares his point of view on the latest headlines in the soccer world, including standout performances, games you might have missed, what to keep an eye on in the coming days, and of course, what deserved extra love and criticism. This week: the similarities between Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola as Liverpool and Man City get ready for Sunday's huge matchup, MLS Conference finals, and Mohamed Salah's contract situation!
Onside
Liverpool vs. Man City. It's: Why Slot and Guardiola are more similar than we think
In Sun Tzu's often-quoted "The Art of War," olllllne particular passage resonates with me: "Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated."
The quote is simple yet powerful. And in football? Especially so. If we fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent as well as our own, then the outcome becomes that much clearer. This is why the best managers in the game are not just coaching a philosophy to their squad, they're also helping players identify the traits of their opponent. That's half the battle.
Which brings me to this weekend's huge matchup between Liverpool and Man City, who meet for the first time this season in the league. Managers Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola will show us that they're more similar than we think, partly because they know each other's game plans and personalities very well. They might, in fact, be almost identical.
Obviously, Guardiola has the more impressive resume, and despite City's struggles, there is no doubt of his genius and legacy. That's not my point. This is about two managers -- former midfielders -- who at the moment might be more alike than different.
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| Liverpool manager Arne Slot has publicly spoken about taking inspiration from Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) |
Let's begin with the obvious: their obsession with details.
"I certainly don't want to compare myself to Pep, but he is a control freak just like me," Slot said back in 2023 during an interview with Dutch football magazine Voetbal International. "If I look at myself, I try to win a match in the week before it is played, by conveying the training, pre-match team talks and tactics to the players as perfectly as possible."
In a piece earlier this year in The Guardian, Gaël Clichy, who played for Man City for six seasons after leaving Arsenal, confirmed the Catalan manager's obsession with detailed perfection. "Pep is all about the details. However you want to play -- no matter your ideas, your vision, your love for a certain way of playing -- details will take you there," says Clichy, who played his last season (2016-17) with City in Pep's first. He would echo, just like Slot, how the stories of repetition and going through every single detail is what makes Guardiola who he is.
Then there's the way their teams play. At Feyenoord -- just like Liverpool -- there's an objective for Slot to play from the back, apply pressure as quickly as possible, notably when the ball is lost, and usually focus in a 4-3-3 formation. Build, baby, build. These are all attributes from a quintessential Guardiola system.
Slot has also said that he shows his team clips of Man City during training. "It is true I showed my players in recent years clips of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City teams," said Slot, specifically focusing on how Guardiola's teams press the ball.
But the main characteristic that highlights their similarities as managers is their emphasis on pace and control. This season, Liverpool is deservedly leading the table, but it's not like they're wowing us with heavy metal football, Jurgen Klopp's trademark helter-skelter style. In fact, they're doing it in a somewhat methodical way. Throughout almost every encounter, Liverpool aim to calmly, almost nonchalantly, control matches with their rhythm. It's very reminiscent of... Man City.
Well, at least the Man City of old, because right now, especially after what we saw on Wednesday night against Feyenoord, control is most definitely not there for Guardiola.
So, as both teams face each other on Sunday, just remember that you might, in fact, be seeing two sides of the same coin. It just so happens that currently, for multiple reasons, one side is shining brighter.
MLS Conference finals preview
Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting? As MLS looks ahead to its Conference finals (and you already know my pet peeve, wishing they were just called MLS playoff semifinals), the picture of the Final Four is not exactly what many of us had in mind.
From the top six candidates of the Supporters' Shield, only one remains. This is very much a classic MLS playoff picture in the sense that it explains the point I always try to make: MLS has two seasons, the regular and the playoffs. A strong mentality is needed for the former, but for the latter, it's crucial.
Let's break down the matches.
EAST: For all the talk regarding No.1 seed and Supporters' Shield winner Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi's hopes of winning MLS Cup, it's the other Florida team that has made a great run: Orlando City SC. Oscar Pareja's side has already made history by reaching their first-ever Eastern Conference final, but they are not done as they look for their first MLS Cup.
Hopefully, they can be inspired by their sister franchise Orlando Pride, who just did exactly that by winning their first NWSL Championship last weekend. The team has a strong South American identity, led by Uruguayan Facundo Torres, who became the club's all-time leading scorer this season. I have a soft spot for them as their starting XI has two Peruvian internationals, Wilder Cartagena and Pedro Gallese, the best goalkeeper in the game who has never played in Europe.
Orlando should be favorites against the New York Red Bulls, but that's exactly how RBNY likes it. They love being the underdog. Wins against defending champions Columbus Crew and their local rivals New York City FC can't be undervalued, and now they also dream of their first-ever MLS Cup.
WEST: Here's to the LA Galaxy, who have made it this far in the playoffs for the first time in 10 years -- the last time they won MLS Cup (a record fifth title), when their team was managed by Bruce Arena and included Robbie Keane, Juninho and Landon Donovan, who retired after the game.
This team is an exciting unit managed by Greg Vanney. There is so much offensive talent, which includes Serbian striker Dejan Joveljić. He is sandwiched in-between two wingers who arrived this season: the Ghanaian Joseph Paintsil and the Brazilian Gabriel Pec. All three scored braces in the team's 6-2 win against Minnesota United last weekend.
But none of it works without their architect, Riqui Puig. The product of Barcelona's La Masia is the brain behind the entire operation. They are up against the experienced Seattle Sounders, who finally put an end to a 10-game rut against LAFC and came out victorious thanks to Jordan Morris's 109th-minute winner after conceding first.
"The mantra of the Sounders, the mentality of the group, is we never quit. We never give up," said their manager Brian Schmetzer after the game, who hopes to lead the club to a third MLS Cup. "Guys that want to even think about giving up, they're no longer with us. It's just the overall spirit [and] mentality of the group. They understand that coming in."
And that's what I love to hear. If you want to win the MLS Cup, you need to be a dog with a bone. No matter the glitz or glamor of any opponent, the mentality of a title-winning team should be relentless hunger. We'll find out the hungriest of them all soon.
Offside
Liverpool and Salah's expiring contract
On Sunday, after Liverpool's 3-2 win over Southampton, Mohamed Salah -- who scored a brace in that game -- gave an interview in regards to his expiring contract, which is set to expire next summer.
"Well, we are almost in December and I haven't received any offers yet to stay in the club, [so] I'm probably more out than in," said Salah.
This propelled a response from former Reds defender, Jamie Carragher. "I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah," he said, during his role as pundit with Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. "Liverpool have Real Madrid midweek [in the Champions League] and Man City at the weekend. That's the story right now."
"If he keeps putting comments out, his agent puts out cryptic messages, that is selfish. That is thinking about themselves and not the football club."
Salah's comments also reached his manager Arne Slot as he was asked about it ahead of Wednesday's game with Real Madrid. "I've said many times, I don't share this. If I look at my line-ups, Mo is more in than out," affirmed the Dutch manager, who also responded to Carragher's comments regarding Salah. "I don't think it distracts Mo. I think it brings the best out of him," said Slot. "I talk to Mo about what I expect from him, like I do to all the players. He's in a good place at the moment."
Whether you agree with Carragher or Slot is not the point. And it's worth noting that, according to reports, talks between Salah and the club are positive.
I think the bigger point here is that this contract situation is clearly weighing on Salah's mind, which may be why he gave the quote in the first place. And some could say it's fair for him to feel disrespected, if that's what he's feeling. He is arguably one of the club's greatest players. I don't know what he's thinking -- only he and his agent Ramy Abbas Issa can answer that -- but I do know that there is an uncertainty over his future with the club. And it's not just him, as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk also have expiring contracts. Unless there are new deals, all three can negotiate with non-English clubs from New Year's Day.
As my colleague Mark Ogden noted earlier this season, the silence from Liverpool's operations is not unusual and it naturally fits the familiar club routine of keeping in-house business away from the media and the general public. But it also adds anxiety to the fan base.
Here's the rub: there are massive to-do tasks for Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group and their CEO Michael Edwards, because these three players are not just squad members, they're integral parts for Liverpool -- perhaps the three most important players.
The clock is ticking to figure out their outcomes. Until then, questions will only continue to circulate among the fan base and more headlines will continue. It's the nature of the beast. And the longer this drags on, it's not the club that wins. It's those three players and their agents.
Final word
Inter Miami's U-13 team traveled to Rosario, Argentina to take part in Newell's Old Boys' Newell's Cup, a North and South American youth tournament. And who was Inter Miami's U-13's No. 10? Lionel Messi's eldest son, Thiago.
Lionel Messi, born and raised in Rosario, was part of the Newell's academy for five years before he left for Barcelona -- and the rest is history. It must have been pretty emotional to see his son play in this competition, surrounded by the same pitches and memories where he started his own story.
This photo from earlier this week of Thiago in front of a TIFO of his dad lifting the World Cup is quite special.
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| Thiago Messi (left) of Inter Miami looks on with a banner of his father Lionel Messi in the background during the game against Newell's Old Boys on November 25 in Rosario, Argentina. (Photo by Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images) |
- Luis Miguel Echegaray, ESPN
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY APPOINTED AS LEICESTER CITY MANAGER
Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed as the new manager of Leicester City, the Premier League club announced on Friday.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, has signed a contract until the end of the 2027 season and succeeds Steve Cooper as Leicester boss after the English coach was sacked on Sunday, a day after their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester confirmed that Van Nistelrooy will attend the team's match against Brentford on Saturday and will officially start in his new role the following day. First team coach Ben Dawson will take charge of the side at the weekend.
"I'm proud, I'm excited," Van Nistelrooy said in a statement. "Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic. They have great stories about the quality of the people working at the club, the supporters and, of course, the recent history of the club is impressive. I'm excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the football club."
Van Nistelrooy's first game in charge will be against West Ham on Tuesday.
"It is my pleasure to welcome Ruud to Leicester City," chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said. "He joins a club with a rich history, passionate supporters, and a talented squad, and we are all excited to see the impact he can have as we embark on this new chapter together.
"Ruud's experience, knowledge, and winning mentality will undoubtedly bring great value to us, and we look forward to supporting him in achieving success for our fans and our club."
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| Ruud van Nistelrooy has signed a contract with Leicester City until the end of the 2026-27 season. Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images |
The former Netherlands forward joined United's coaching staff in July as an assistant to compatriot Erik ten Hag. After Ten Hag was sacked last month, Van Nistelrooy took charge on an interim basis and had three wins and a draw in his four games at the helm before Ruben Amorim was hired as Ten Hag's full-time replacement.
Coincidentally, Van Nistelrooy's short tenure at Old Trafford included two wins over his new team -- a 5-2 thrashing of a weakened Leicester side in the Carabao Cup and a 3-0 win in the Premier League.
The Leicester job is Van Nistelrooy's second senior full-time managerial role, having led PSV Eindhoven for almost a season where he won the Dutch Cup before quitting near the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
The midlands club enjoyed a stunning Premier League title success in 2015-2016 but were relegated in 2023 before coming straight back up under Enzo Maresca, who then left to join Chelsea.
Leicester are 16th in the Premier League, one point clear of the relegation zone.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
- ESPN
CHIEF CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT WITH 'UGLY WIN' OVER RAIDERS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs secured a playoff spot for the 10th straight season with their 19-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, but to some of the players, this clinching didn't necessarily feel like the others.
The Chiefs had to go to the wire to outlast the 2-10 Raiders, with the game being decided when Kansas City recovered a Las Vegas fumble with 11 seconds remaining. The Chiefs then ran out the clock with one snap to secure another victory.
They are 11-1, but five of their wins weren't settled until the final snap.
"It's not perfect, and we've had a lot of games this year where we didn't play the way we wanted to play,'' Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said. "The thing about a championship team is games like this where things aren't perfect. You're thankful that you won, but you know that you've set the standard. And when we have games like this and don't feel like we've played to the standard that we've set, it's always a little disappointing, a little frustrating.''
The Chiefs can clinch a ninth straight AFC West title by beating the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 8 at Arrowhead Stadium. They padded their lead over the 9-2 Buffalo Bills -- the lone team to beat them -- for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
They had many anxious moments in getting there. The Chiefs held what looked to be a comfortable 16-3 lead late in the third quarter.
The Raiders put together back-to-back touchdown drives to take the lead. The Chiefs grabbed it back with a field goal, only to see the Raiders reach the edge of field goal range at the Kansas City 32-yard-line when they fumbled in what turned out to be their eighth straight loss.
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| Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws to running back Isiah Pacheco (10). Denny Medley, Imagn Images |
"When you clinch a playoff spot, that's your first goal, to get into the playoffs and give yourself a chance to go for that Super Bowl,'' quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. "But we know we have a long ways to go. We got to continue to work to get better, to continue to be a better football team.
"It keeps you hungry. You're not satisfied with where we're at even though we're winning football games and so we know we have to get better. I think everybody in the locker room knows we have to get better, but we want to go out there and do that and prove that.''
Last week, the Chiefs survived in a similar manner against another sub-.500 opponent. They led the Carolina Panthers by 14 points late in the first half but needed a walk-off field goal to deliver one of those last-play victories.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones had two sacks, his first since Week 4. He said the Chiefs would remember the many things they did wrong against the Raiders -- allowing two long touchdown passes, his two offside penalties, yielding 434 yards -- as much as what they accomplished.
He also indicated that yet another narrow finish would be good for Kansas City.
"When you look at the playoffs, most games are close, down-to-the-wire type of games, so there's a lot we can build from this as a team overall,'' Jones said. "We're just going to keep on winning, keep on winning. You can learn a lot from winning.
"It is better to win than have a pretty loss. We'll take an ugly win, build from it and continue to get better.''
- Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff WriterCHI
HAWKS CLINCH EAST GROUP C IN NBA CUP WITH WIN, BULLS LOSS
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| Atlanta Hawks beat Cleveland Cavaliers (AP) |
ATLANTA -- De'Andre Hunter scored 23 points off Atlanta's bench and the Hawks beat Cleveland 117-101 on Friday in the NBA Cup, handing the Cavaliers a loss for the second time in three days.
Later Friday night, the Hawks clinched East Group C in the NBA Cup when Chicago lost to visiting Boston. They became the first team from the East to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals, joining the Rockets and Warriors from the West.
The Cavaliers (17-3) still boast the NBA's best record, but they again couldn't match the Hawks' scoring depth. Trae Young had 21 points and 11 assists and Jalen Johnson added 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as Atlanta finished with six scorers in double figures.
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 29 points and Evan Mobley contributed 24 points, including seven dunks.
Atlanta won 135-124 at Cleveland on Wednesday night as Young set a career high with 22 assists. Young leads the NBA in assists at 12.5 per game. He is averaging 15.3 assists over his past six contests, the most over a six-game span in Hawks history.
He is also the second player in the past 30 seasons to average 20 points and 15 assists in a two-game span against the team with the best record in the NBA. He joins Chris Paul in 2009 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Led by Hunter, Atlanta's bench outscored Cleveland's reserves 50-28.
After leading 52-50 at halftime, Clint Capela helped the Hawks pull away in the third quarter. Capela had three consecutive baskets as the Hawks stretched the lead to 67-57.
The Hawks matched their scoring high for a quarter this season by outscoring the Cavaliers 39-23 in the third period. They also scored 39 points in the second quarter of a 121-116 win over the New York Knicks on Nov. 6.
Atlanta visits Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- ESPN News Services
GEORGIA RALLIES FROM 17 DOWN, TOPS GEORGIA TECH IN 8OT SHOOTOUT
ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia freshman Nate Frazier ran 3 yards for a 2-point conversion in the eighth overtime period, leading the No. 7 Bulldogs to a wild 44-42 victory over rival Georgia Tech in the longest game in SEC history at Sanford Stadium on Friday night.
The Yellow Jackets had the ball first in the eighth overtime. Quarterback Haynes King threw a pass that sailed out the back of the end zone after he was pressured by linebacker CJ Allen.
Georgia didn't waste any time to finally put away Georgia Tech, with Frazier taking a handoff and running up the middle, sending the red-and-black-clad crowd into a frenzy.
"People were getting worn down," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. "People were getting tired. We weren't getting open. That kid's got an electric ability to hit the hole hard. I guess we blocked it right because it hit up in there."
Frazier's touchdown run capped one of the more memorable comebacks in Georgia history and one of the most exciting finishes in the intrastate rivalry known as "Clean Old-Fashioned Hate." It was the Bulldogs' 31st consecutive victory at home and seventh straight over Georgia Tech.
None were as difficult to get as Friday night.
It was the first time the Bulldogs overcame a deficit of 17 points or more since 2006. It was only the second time in the past 20 seasons they rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
After failing to score a point in the first half for the first time since 2019, Georgia's offense finally got things going in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs scored 21 points in the final 8:18, including twice in the last 3:39, to hand the Yellow Jackets one of their most painful losses in the series.
"Sucks, losing stinks," Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said. "Losing like this. I told them there are no moral victories. I'm proud as heck of them. I'm proud of the seniors and what they've done for this program. I'm proud of everyone on that sideline and the work they put in since January, they've never wavered."
The teams traded touchdowns and extra point kicks in the first overtime to tie the score at 34, then both failed to convert a 2-pointer after touchdowns in the second, leaving the score tied at 40. They went to 2-point attempts only in the third overtime and neither team found the end zone in the third and fourth OT periods.
Both teams were successful on 2-point conversions in the fifth OT period to make the score 42-42, then both failed to convert in the sixth and seventh OTs.
Georgia was 2-for-6 on 2-point tries; Georgia Tech was 1-for-6.
The back-and-forth drama created one of the most epic marathons in recent history.
"If they played it out like they used to, we might still be out there," Smart said.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw for five touchdowns with 297 yards on 28-for-43 passing.
King was even better, completing 26 of 36 passes for 303 yards with two scores. He also ran for 110 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts. According to ESPN Research, King is the first player with at least 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against an AP top-10 team all time.
"He's a warrior," Key said. "He's one of the toughest kids I've ever been around in my life. He wills others around him. I'm proud of him. I'm proud of all of them."
Going the distance
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| Georgia's eight-overtime win over Georgia Tech on Friday was the second-longest FBS game since OT was instituted in 1996. A look back at how those other games unfolded can be found here. |
The Bulldogs, winners of two of the past three CFP national championships, have probably done enough to get into the 12-team field with a 10-2 record. They can remove any doubt by defeating the winner of Saturday's game between No. 3 Texas and No. 20 Texas A&M in the Dec. 7 SEC Championship Game, which would likely earn them a first-round bye and top four seed.
"I'm just proud of our guys and proud of their fight and grit and toughness," Smart said. "That's really my focus. I mean, just keep getting better and don't ride the wave of emotion. Because if things went the other way on one of those plays tonight, we'd be playing next week for our lives to go to the playoffs, right? So our opportunity is in front of us, and we've got to go out and play well and play a good team."
The Yellow Jackets, who were 17½-point underdogs, took a 17-0 lead at the half and went ahead 27-13 with just over 5½ minutes to play.
Down 14 in the fourth quarter, Georgia's odds to win the game were as long as 10-1 at ESPN BET.
But Georgia's offense, which had struggled with dropped passes and missed assignments for much of the game, scored two touchdowns in the final 3:39 of regulation to tie the score at 27.
King, who delivered myriad big plays with his right arm and legs, made a critical mistake when he lost a fumble on third-and-1 at the Tech 31 with 2:02 remaining. Jackson caused the fumble, and defensive end Chaz Chambliss recovered the ball at the Tech 32.
On third-and-9 from the Tech 13, Beck scrambled for 10 yards and a first down. On the next play, he fired a 3-yard touchdown to Dominic Lovett with 1:01 left. Peyton Woodring's extra-point kick tied the score at 27.
Eight overtime periods later, the end came just a few minutes after midnight.
It was only one overtime shy of the record for any FBS game -- Illinois' 20-18 victory over Penn State in 2021 that went to nine extra periods.
"I mean, I ain't never seen [anything] like that," Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker said. "I ain't watching no football game that long."
ESPN's David Purdum contributed to this report.
- Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Friday, 29 November 2024
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LIONS EKE OUT WIN OVER BEARS TO END THANKSGIVING DAY DROUGHT
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| Detroit Lions win 10th straight match with Thanksgiving victory Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St Brown is tackled by Chicago Bears cornerback Terell Smith (Duane Burleson/AP) |
DETROIT -- Thanksgiving Day in Dan Campbell's household wasn't the greatest experience the past few years.
After suffering three straight Thanksgiving losses as coach of the Detroit Lions, Campbell described himself as a "bear" to be around and said his wife, Holly, was praying for a victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
"It'd be nice to feel good about it when you're with everybody because it's just not real fun. It's not real fun to be around," Campbell said beforehand. "Ask my wife, she'll tell you."
Campbell and the Lions delivered Thursday, halting a seven-game losing streak in the annual holiday game by narrowly topping the Bears, 23-20.
At 11-1, the Lions are off to their best start in franchise history.
Prior to Thursday, the Lions hadn't won on Thanksgiving since 2016. Although it came down to the wire, Campbell said he'll "take this W and I'm not going to lose sleep over it."
He described his mood as being "good" before heading home to his family.
"Listen, much better. Much better. I'll take a W. Look, that's division win No. 3, which is huge, especially in the race we're in right now and that's win 11 and it's another conference win," Campbell said. "So, I feel good. I'm going to take that W and I'm going to enjoy this Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and all your families and everybody out there. I'm gonna enjoy this."
Like Campbell, veteran quarterback Jared Goff had never experienced a Thanksgiving victory in Detroit. After leading the Lions to their 10th straight win, Goff enjoyed the traditional turkey leg as the 2024 Madden Thanksgiving MVP, alongside teammates David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Reader and Al-Quadin Muhammad in great spirits. Goff finished with 221 passing yards and two touchdown passes to tight end Sam LaPorta while going 21-for-34 with zero interceptions.
"It's kind of a bucket list for me was to win on Thanksgiving, and now we can start our new streak of winning," Goff said. "But yeah, it was big. And certainly the game came down to the wire there and you're worried about which way it's going to go, but to get the W in the way we did and to end that skid that we've been on and kind of put that to rest is another check off our list that we've been working on for the last handful of years and it feels good."
The Lions jumped out to a 16-0 halftime lead but, after having gone 12 straight quarters without surrendering a touchdown, allowed three second-half passing touchdowns by Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to receivers Keenan Allen and DJ Moore as Chicago pulled within three.
However, the Bears came up short as Williams overthrew receiver Rome Odunze as time expired. Prior to that, Williams was sacked at the Lions' 41 with 32 seconds left, and then the Bears let 26 seconds of clock run, despite having one timeout remaining.
Lions running backs Gibbs and Montgomery combined to rush for 175 yards off 30 carries but ended their 25-game streak of having a rushing touchdown, including the playoffs, which was the longest in NFL history.
Still, hardly anyone on the roster was unhappy leaving Ford Field as the team continues to overcome a laundry list of notable droughts amid a historic start for the franchise. Campbell wouldn't allow his players to lose sight of that moment.
"Look, I told the team, 'If you're not careful, you start grading your own wins.' And it's good because you have these standards and the way you think you should play by your own standards, by what you have. It has nothing to do with the opponent," Campbell said. "It's just you know yourselves and you know what you're capable of and so, if you're not careful, you start going too far down that thing then you start taking wins for granted and ultimately, that's a good win."
- Eric Woodyard, ESPN
EBERFLUS: BEARS' CLOCK MANAGEMENT HANDLED 'THE RIGHT WAY'
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| Chicago Bears' star Keenan Allen criticized head coach Matt Eberflus for not calling a timeout during the team's loss to the Detroit Lions. Despite strong performances, including QB Caleb Williams' 222 yards and three touchdowns, Eberflus defended his decision, citing strategy. The Bears have now lost six straight games under Eberflus' leadership. |
DETROIT -- With 36 seconds remaining, trailing by three points after putting together a furious second-half comeback, the Chicago Bears were in position to tie or defeat the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.
But late-game clock mismanagement assured the Bears would not get the chance to complete a come-from-behind victory against their division rival. As time ran out on Chicago to solidify a sixth consecutive loss in a 23-20 defeat, coach Matt Eberflus defended his decision to not call a timeout in the final moments of the game.
"We're at 36 seconds right there and our hope was, because it was third [down] going into fourth [down], that we would rerack that play at 18 seconds, throw it inbounds, get it in field goal range and then call a timeout," Eberflus said.
Upon getting the ball back at Detroit's 1-yard line with 3:31 to play, the Bears ran 13 plays before facing second-and-20 from the Lions' 35-yard line. Quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked for a 6-yard loss with 32 seconds remaining as Detroit defensive end Za'Darius Smith went untouched to bring the rookie down.
Instead of calling a timeout ahead of what became Chicago's final play while facing third-and-26 from Detroit's 41-yard line, the Bears let the clock wind down. About 10 seconds passed before Williams frantically alerted the offense to get lined up for a pass play, and the ball was not snapped until there were six seconds remaining.
Williams launched a deep ball to rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze that bounced off the turf inside the 5-yard line as time expired.
"I knew when we snapped the ball that the [clock] was going to run out, so I was trying to get to the end zone," Odunze said "We just didn't get a great coverage for it. Moving forward, I'll know what I need to do to get there."
When asked postgame how the Bears should have managed the final sequence in retrospect, Eberflus doubled down on the team's late-game operation.
"I like what we did there," Eberflus said. "Again, once it's under seven [seconds], you're going to call a timeout there -- actually under 12 and then really you don't have an option because it's third to fourth, you have to throw it into the end zone then.
"To me it's -- I think we handled it the right way, I do believe that you just rerack the play, get it in bounds and call timeout, and that's why we held it and didn't work out the way we wanted it to."
Twenty-six seconds elapsed from the time Williams was sacked to when the ball was snapped on the final play. The quarterback had called a timeout earlier in the drive but intimated that he was not in position to do so again, which led him to change the play with 13 seconds remaining to take one final shot.
"I made an adjustment because I saw the clock running down, knowing that if we complete a ball inbounds or anything like that, we won't have time to kick a field goal or anything like that," Williams said. "So, I made an adjustment and knew Rome was either going to be one-on-one or he was going to beat the safety and be one-on-one there and I tried to give him a shot and we got the shot and missed."
Kicker Cairo Santos would have been in position to kick a 58-yard field goal on the final play, but Eberflus said the Bears were out of field goal range. Santos' career long is 55 yards, which he has made twice (2020 at the Carolina Panthers, 2023 at the Minnesota Vikings). But the kicker's recent ups and downs, including blocked 48-yard field goals in back-to-back games against the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota (along with kicking a field goal to send the Bears to overtime in Week 12), might have factored into Chicago's decision to get closer to the end zone before sending out its kicking unit.
Santos, who was warming up on the sideline, did not expect the final moments to unfold the way they did.
"I didn't see that happening," Santos said. "We rehearse these scenarios, and I imagine myself kicking that. I know we want to play for the win, but I just kind of imagine myself at least getting a shot there."
Considering the Bears' plan was to run a play once the clock hit 18 seconds to get into field goal range, Eberflus was also asked why he didn't call a timeout at that moment upon seeing that the ball had not been snapped.
"Once it gets under 12 [seconds], you got to hold onto it then," Eberflus said.
Eberflus pinned the Bears' failures on the "whole operation" but defended Chicago's communication in the final 36 seconds.
"We were all on the same page there, we just have to do it a little bit better," he said.
The loss drops the Bears to 4-8. According to ESPN Research, since turnovers were first tracked in 1933, the Bears are the first team to go on a six-game losing streak without committing multiple miscues in any of those games. The Bears have lost four games this season decided by three or fewer points, which is tied with the Jets for the most in the NFL and tied for the most such losses in a season in franchise history (1983 and 2015).
Several Bears players were shocked that a timeout was not called.
"I all of a sudden see everybody come on the field and the game is over," tight end Cole Kmet said. "So, I was like, 'What the eff just happened?' The sack happens. By the time I turned around, Caleb was pretty much on the ground. We just got to find a way to not take a sack there, and unfortunately the clock keeps running and I am sure the thought process was then to be able to get some yardage and then take the timeout and then kick the field goal. But we were just a little too late on that."
Wide receiver DJ Moore, who logged a team-high eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, expressed similar disbelief over how the game ended.
"I mean, you're just like, 'What the hell?' Nah, it's like, 'What the bleep' but it is what it is," Moore said. "It's not it is what it is, but we've got to find a way to win. We keep coming back in these games and be having time to actually win the game and we just s--- the bed."
After being outgained by 226 yards, gaining one first down and being shut out in the first half, the Bears thundered back from a 16-point deficit beginning with a 74-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter. Williams led the Bears on three touchdown drives in the second half, along the way setting a franchise rookie record for passing touchdowns at 15.
Thursday's loss extends Eberflus' record to 5-19 in one-score games, the worst mark by any coach with at least 20 such games in NFL history.
"It was tough," wide receiver Keenan Allen said. "I feel like we did enough as players to win the game."
- Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
Thursday, 28 November 2024
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HAWKS' TRAE YOUNG HAS CAREER-HIGH 22 ASSISTS TO STUN CAVALIER
CLEVELAND -- The NBA's leader in assists handed Cleveland a rare loss.
Trae Young had a career-high 22 assists -- the most in the NBA this season -- and scored 20 points as the Atlanta Hawks dealt Cleveland just its second loss this season, beating the Cavaliers 135-124 on Thursday night.
The Cavs, who built an early 19-point lead, fell to 17-2 and lost for the first time in 11 home games.
One of the game's deepest shooters, Young also made a 39-foot 3-pointer in the final two minutes as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak and got their second major road win after knocking off the champion Celtics in Boston on Nov. 12.
Young's assist total was one better than the 21 recorded by New Orleans guard Elfrid Payton earlier this week against Indiana. It was also just one shy of the Hawks' record held by Mookie Blaylock, who got 23 assists on March 6, 1993, against Utah.
"He threw himself into the game," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said of Young, who came into the game averaging 11.9 assists. "The biggest thing is he just moved the ball, and he forced guys to run. He gave guys opportunities in the open court, and he trusted his teammates."
Young picked up eight assists in the fourth quarter as the Hawks outplayed the Cavs down the stretch.
He fed teammate De'Andre Hunter for two baskets, Dyson Daniels for another and made two free throws to put the Hawks up 126-118. Moments later, Young lost the handle and Ty Jerome's 3-pointer pulled the Cavs within 126-122.
Young nearly gave it away again, but after corralling the loose ball, he drilled his 3-pointer just inside the half-court logo to put Atlanta ahead by seven.
"I couldn't let my team down twice in a row, so I had to make the play," Young said. "I think when I got the ball back I still had 10 seconds left, so I had a little time to make a play and that's what happened."
The bucket silenced Cleveland's rocking crowd.
And if the fans needed any reminder, Young reminded them to be quiet by pressing his index finger to his mouth.
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| Atlanta star Trae Young silenced the Cavaliers and their fans with 20 points and a career-high 22 assists -- the most in the NBA this season -- as the visiting Hawks rolled to a 135-124 victory Wednesday. Jason Miller/Getty Images |
The Hawks have grown accustomed to Young coming through in the clutch. The three-time All-Star has a knack for big moments, and while his ability to launch 3-pointers is often the focus, his passing game is often overlooked.
"For the smallest guy on the floor, he sees it really well," said Hunter, who finished with 26 points. "He makes on-time passes, usually where guys can shoot it, and we made a lot of shots tonight."
Snyder said Young's leadership late in the game was as vital as anything.
"I really liked the way we and he reacted to being down," Snyder said. "Just keeping his poise, that's always been a point of emphasis with Trae."
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Evan Mobley added 22 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which was trying for its first start of 18-1 or better.
Mitchell had his 58th game with at least 30 points for the Cavaliers, tying World B. Free for second in franchise history behind only LeBron James (324), according to ESPN Research.
Atlanta, which won its third game this season that it trailed by double digits, made a season-high 20 3-pointers. It was the Hawks' largest road comeback win since Nov. 2, 2022, vs. the Knicks (trailed by 23).
Young set franchise marks with his second 20-20 game as well as becoming the first player in team history to have more than 20 assists in a game multiple times, according to ESPN Research.
Following the game, Young came into the media room cradling a basketball as if he were protecting it on a drive.
As he wrapped up his availability, Young was asked if he knew he had just set a career best in assists.
"I didn't until just now. Thank you," he said.
The teams meet again Friday in an NBA Cup game in Atlanta. The Hawks (2-1) are tied for first in Group C while the Cavs (1-1) have two games left in pool play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- ESPN News Services
MAN CITY'S RODRI: I CAN'T RESPECT REAL MADRID'S BALLON D'OR BOYCOTT
Manchester City's Rodri has said he can't respect Real Madrid's decision to boycott the Ballon d'Or ceremony in October after he received the award over Vinícius Júnior.
The midfielder was awarded with the individual prize after a stellar season that saw him pick up the Premier League trophy with City and the European Championship with Spain.
Rodri's stiffest competition was Vinícius, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after learning he would not be taking home the award along with the rest of the Madrid squad and the club's executives.
"Well, it's a decision of individuals or clubs in general to decide what to do. I cannot respect the decision, I always said I wouldn't do it in the same way," Rodri said on "The Rest is Football" podcast.
"I remember last year that maybe Erling [Haaland] was close to winning it I wanted to be there with him to support with all the club and even though Leo [Lionel Messi] won it, we were there clapping him because Ballon d'Or is a recognition not for a player, it's for a year, for a level of a guy for a whole year."
Vinícius had been a top contender to win the men's prize after helping Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but neither he nor his fellow Madrid nominees -- eight in total across the various awards -- attended the event.
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| Manchester City's Rodri won the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or prize. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images |
Madrid were honoured as the men's team of the year and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award at the ceremony, though as no representatives of the club were present, no-one was on hand to accept the silverware.
"In sport and in life, it's important to win. But I think even more how to lose and I say always the same, it was my moment, I didn't want to speak about others," Rodri added.
"They didn't want to be there -- I want to be with my club, with my family, the people that were there and clapped me and that was a fantastic moment."
Prior to the ceremony, Rodri suffered an ACL injury during a Premier League clash with Arsenal that has seen the midfielder ruled out for the foreseeable future.
"My target is to come back this season," he said. "I think in terms of my mentality it's going to be positive for me to not give up the season and throw it. I don't want to run, you know, I don't want to make mistakes.
"But yeah, that's my mentality. I don't know when ... In my target is six, seven months, but the physios, they will dictate."
- ESPN
FRANK LAMPARD CONFIRMED AS COVENTRY CITY MANAGER
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| Frank Lampard has been named as manager of Coventry City. Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images |
Frank Lampard has been appointed as manager of Championship side Coventry City, the club confirmed on Thursday.
Lampard, who has signed a 2 ½ year deal, replaces Mark Robins, who was sacked on Nov. 7 after their seventh loss in 14 league games.
Robins first managed Coventry between 2012-2013. He returned to the club in 2017, guiding them to two promotions as they rose from League Two to the Championship.
They came close to winning promotion to the Premier League, losing the 2023 playoff final to Luton Town on penalties. Robins then led Coventry back to Wembley last season as they reached the FA Cup semifinal, losing again on penalties, this time to Manchester United.
Lampard's appointment comes with the club in 17th position in the table, 10 points off the playoff places.
"I am delighted that Frank Lampard has agreed to join our club as head Ccoach. Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this League to be successful," Coventry owner Doug King said.
The Chelsea legend last coached in 2023 as interim boss of his former club, which he also managed full time between 2019-2021.
He began his coaching career at Derby County in 2018, with a stint at Premier League side Everton in 2022-2023.
- ESPN
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY SET FOR LEICESTER JOB - SOURCES
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| Ruud van Nistelrooy applauds the fans during his spell as interim head coach of Manchester United. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA |
Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy is in line to take the head coach role at Premier League strugglers Leicester City, sources have told ESPN.
Talks between Leicester and Van Nistelrooy, who has also been linked with Hamburg, are ongoing but there is increasing positivity that a deal will be agreed for the Dutchman to succeed Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium.
Cooper was sacked on Sunday, a day after the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea which left Leicester 16th in the Premier League and just a point above the relegation places.
Cooper only lasted 15 games in the role after replacing Enzo Maresca in the summer following the Italian's departure to take charge at Chelsea.
Van Nistelrooy, who managed PSV Eindhoven for a year between 2022 and 2023, enjoyed a short spell as United's interim head coach following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag and the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
Coincidentally, two of Van Nistelrooy's games in charge were against Leicester. The first was a 5-2 win in the Carabao Cup and the second was a 3-0 victory in the league. Leicester's next game is against Brentford on Saturday.
Van Nistelrooy spent five successful seasons as a player at Old Trafford, scoring 150 goals in 219 games. He returned to the club in the summer as assistant to Ten Hag along with Rene Hake following the departures of Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy.
- Rob Dawson, Correspondent
REAL MADRID'S EDUARDO CAMAVINGA OUT FOR THREE WEEKS - SOURCE
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| Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga is assisted after getting injured during the Champions League match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium. | Photo Credit: AP |
Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga will be out for around three weeks, a source has told ESPN, after he picked up a muscular injury in his left leg in Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool.
Camavinga, who only returned from a knee ligament problem in September, had been one of Madrid's best performers at Anfield until he was substituted in the 56th minute.
Madrid have had to deal with a string of injuries this season, with Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão out long-term, and Vinícius Júnior, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Rodrygo Goes and David Alaba all unavailable against Liverpool.
A three-week absence would see Camavinga miss LaLiga games with Getafe, Athletic Club and Girona, a must-win clash at Atalanta in the Champions League, and Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga.
Madrid's loss to Liverpool was their third in five Champions League games, and saw them struggling in 24th place in the table, the last of the qualifying positions.
- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez
LIVERPOOL VS. REAL MADRID: GARETH BALE BACKS KYLIAN MBAPPÉ
Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale defended Kylian Mbappé after the forward disappointed in the club's Champions League defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday, during which he missed a crucial penalty.
Mbappé could have levelled for Madrid in the second half at Anfield, with Liverpool leading 1-0, but his spot kick was saved by Caoimhín Kelleher, and the home side went on to win 2-0, leaving Madrid 24th in the Champions League league phase table after three defeats in five games.
Criticism of Mbappé's form has been growing in Madrid, with the France international scoring just twice in his last nine games for the reigning Spanish and European champions.
"It does happen. I've missed penalties, everyone's missed penalties," Bale, who won five Champions Leagues with Madrid, told TNT Sports.
"It's just unfortunate that at the moment it's not quite going Mbappé's way, but I think on his day he's the best player in the world, and it's just a matter of time before he comes good."
Coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted Mbappé is suffering from a "lack of confidence" after the penalty miss, but called for "patience" with the star.
"It's [the penalty] obviously a big moment in the game, but it can happen," teammate Jude Bellingham told TNT Sports. "He's a wonderful player, but the pressure that he holds, because of how good he is, is huge. It's humongous.
"The penalty is not the reason why we lost the game ... Kylian can keep his head high, I know for sure that he will produce many more moments that are huge for this club."
Madrid will now play Atalanta, RB Salzburg and Brest as they look to qualify for the Champions League knockout round, while they host Getafe in LaLiga on Sunday.
- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez
CLUBS WITH MOST LEAGUE TITLES | EUROPE'S TOP FIVE LEAGUES
Here are the TOP 🔟 clubs with most league titles across Europe's Top FIVE leagues🏆📊
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Wednesday, 27 November 2024
ENGLAND'S JUDE BELLINGHAM FELT LIKE 'SCAPEGOAT' AFTER EUROS
Jude Bellingham has admitted he felt like "a scapegoat" after England's Euro 2024 final defeat last summer, but said "the smile is back" with the national team.
Real Madrid star Bellingham, 21, impressed in England's Nations League games in October and November under interim head coach Lee Carsley, after the resignation of former boss Gareth Southgate.
Thomas Tuchel is now set to take charge of England from January 2025, and -- speaking ahead of Madrid's Champions League game at Liverpool on Wednesday -- Bellingham revealed that he was unhappy with some aspects of how the media covered the Euro 2024 campaign.
"I lost my smile because I felt I was a bit mistreated, compared to what I contributed," Bellingham told his pre-match a news conference. "I felt a bit of a scapegoat. I hadn't lost my smile in a Madrid shirt. I'm the luckiest lad in the world. It was more to do with how I was treated off the back of the Euros. But the smile is back."
"I felt like I contributed some big moments [with England] and it felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially the days after the final," Bellingham added.
"It wasn't a nice feeling. A big criticism was that I didn't speak to the media, it was reported I felt like I'm above it. But I had some personal things going on. I had journalists visit my family, my grandparents. I think that crosses the line of respect, I took that personally and decided to focus on my football. It was personal to me, and I decided to keep my mouth shut."
Bellingham's performances for his club have also been scrutinised so far this season, although the midfielder has now scored in Madrid's last two matches in LaLiga.
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| Jude Bellingham has said he felt like a scapegoat after the Euros. Visionhaus/Getty Images |
His role in the Madrid team has changed since the arrival of Kylian Mbappé, with Bellingham now playing in a more withdrawn role.
"I've filled in in positions, to make sacrifices, just like others have," Bellingham said. "I know where I'm most effective, I've relayed that to the coach [Carlo Ancelotti]... but if I'm put in a position, it's my responsibility to do well to the best of my ability."
Mbappé has also had some problems adapting to life at Madrid, with two goals in his last eight games.
"It's like any adaptation, players leave, great players have arrived," Bellingham said. "Kylian gets a lot of criticism, and it's a bit over the top for me. I see him in training, and I know he's only going to get better."
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who ESPN has reported is a top target for Madrid, will miss Wednesday's game at Anfield through injury.
"He's a Liverpool player," Bellingham said, when asked about the reports. "It's disrespectful to come to his home today and with the game tomorrow, and say something that could be misconstrued. He's a good mate of mine... We'll see what happens."
Vinícius Júnior won't be available against Liverpool after picking up an injury playing 90 minutes against Leganés on Sunday, and Ancelotti reacted angrily to suggestions he could have rested the Brazilian ahead of the trip to Anfield.
"I listen to a lot of advice, but I've had 1300 games, I've picked 1300 teams and I've made 4000 substitutions," Ancelotti said. "Nobody here can give me advice in that sense."
- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez
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