ARSENAL: WILLIAM SALIBA RESPONDS TO REAL MADRID LINKS AFTER SIGNING NEW GUNNERS CONTRACT

The Frenchman has set his sights on silverware after extending his stay in north London

STICKING AROUND: WILLIAM SALIBA
ARSENAL FC VIA GETTY IMAGES

William Saliba says his head was never turned by Real Madrid because he could not leave Arsenal without winning major trophies.

Saliba has signed a new five-year contract with Arsenal after snubbing interest from Real Madrid.

The defender could have followed in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold and joined the Spanish giants on a free transfer in under two years.

But Saliba has stressed his heart was always set on staying at Arsenal and lifting silverware with them.

“To be honest, I was not really focused on the clubs from the outside, I was just focused on here,” he said.

“I knew that I wanted to stay here for more years, so I was not really focused on the other clubs. So I’m happy to be here and I signed a new deal, so full focus on my club.

“As you said, he (Alexander-Arnold) won some titles with Liverpool. Me, I didn’t win anything here except the Community Shield.

“I’ve done nothing for this club to think about leaving. I want to stay here and win a lot of trophies. I love this club. I cannot leave this club without giving them (the fans) something back. My first choice was to stay here and win everything first.”

“We have a good team, we play well, we are good. We only miss trophies. The team and I will give everything to win this title.

“Of course, the people won’t remember you if you win nothing. So, at the end, it's trophies, trophies, trophies.”

Saliba has become a regular for Arsenal, but he endured a difficult spell when he first joined the club.

The Frenchman was loaned out on three different occasions and he has revealed his fear that he may never make it in north London.

“When I arrived in 2020 and I didn’t play for six months, then I went on loan, of course sometimes you have some doubts,” he said.

“You say: ‘Yeah, maybe I will never play for this club’. But at the end I told myself that I cannot leave this club without playing.

“I didn’t give up, I went on loan, I played games, I came back here and I started almost every game.

“So, yeah, I’m so proud of myself. That means that you must never give up. That’s what I did and I’m proud of myself.

“We say, if the club sends you on loan a lot, maybe they don’t need you. But at the end, it’s football. Sometimes you have good moments, sometimes you have bad moments like this.

“And you have to be strong in your head and always believe in yourself. And that’s what I did.

“Even in the bad moments, I kept believing in myself. And when I came back, I had some chances to play and I played well.”

- SIMON COLLINGS

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FRENCHMAN BEAUMELLE TAKES OVER AS ANGOLA COACH

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Ivory Coast v Egypt - Douala Stadium, Douala, Cameroon - January 26, 2022 Ivory Coast coach Patrice Beaumelle reacts REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Angola have named Patrice Beaumelle as their coach, with the Frenchman taking over a week before their final set of 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

He replaces Pedro Goncalves, fired last week after Angola lost at home to Libya and fell out of the race for a place at the finals in North America next year.

The 47-year-old Beaumelle has been a long-standing fixture on the African coaching circuit, mostly as assistant to compatriot Herve Renard, including a stint with Angola between 2010-2012.

Beaumelle also served as head coach of Zambia and Ivory Coast, and took Algerian club Mouloudia Alger to the group phase of last season’s African Champions League.

He will start his job with World Cup qualifiers in Eswatini on October 8 and Cameroon on October 13 before taking charge of the Angolan side at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco at the end of the year.

- Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond

WAKING UP WITH A HANGOVER...AND A £230K BILL! EUROPE'S RYDER CUP HEROES' PARTY DETAILS EMERGE

The following morning, Lowry had shared on social media that he 'might have a hangover'

Shane Lowry danced on a table as Team Europe partied long into the night to celebrate their barnstorming win on foreign soil on Sunday night - with the stars believed to have racked up a staggering £230,000 bar bill to prove it. 

Captain Luke Donald's men retained the storied trophy amid a turbulent atmosphere at Bethpage Black in New York during a contest that became as notable for what was happening off the green as what was happening on it. 

The visitors were subject to a volley of boos and verbal abuse from when play started on Friday, through to a toxic Saturday which saw Rory McIlory targeted the most heavily by fans held back by the additional security required as tensions mounted. 

The Masters champion was forced to listen to vile chants of 'f*** you, Rory' and abuse directed at his personal life and his wife Erica Stoll. 

Stoll was even hit by a drink in ugly scenes on Saturday afternoon, with a fan hurling a cup at her head as she watched her husband, and is reported to have left the event that night in tears after a draining day in Farmingdale. 

After toiling in a hostile atmosphere for three days, the visitors were able to reap the rewards

But with a historic 15-13 win secured, the European contingent were free to let their hair down, and enjoy the fruits of their victory - smashing at least 120 bottles of vintage Moet Champagne as they quenched their well-earned thirst. 

As per the Sun, this meant having the opportunity to sample a number of fine wines and Champagnes at their after-party, with the celebrations reportedly coming to a hefty £230,000 total. 

The team's festivities are thought to have seen the partying golfers order 120 bottles of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne, which at £967 per bottle, added up to £116,109's worth of top-shelf fizz.

Team Europe's Ryder Cup bar bill 

Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne - 120 bottles - £116,000 

Moet et Chandon MCIII - 60 bottles - £37,000

Moet et Chandon Rose Champagnes - 60 bottles - £37,000

Belvedere vodka - 10 bottles - £18,000

Limited edition Hennessey 250th Anniversary cognac - 10 bottles - £22,000

Total: £230,000 

60 bottles of Moet & Chandon's MCIII multi-vintage and the label's rose champagne were also believed to be on tap, costing £74,053. 

As well as wines, Europe's stars could also sample vodka - £18,000-worth of Belvedere at £1,861 per bottle - and cognac, in the form of 10 limited edition Hennessy 250th Anniversary bottles, worth £2,233 each. 

The golfers were also thought to have been offered ultra-rare bottles of Hennessy Richard Lunar New Year 2025 cognac, worth a jaw-dropping £14,896 a bottle. 

But rather than keep the well-stocked bar to themselves, Donald is believed to have been keen to extend the party to all of the support staff involved in the victory, including wives and partners of the players, and their families. 

Lowry - who earned the half-point on Sunday afternoon to retain the Ryder Cup - admitted on social media on Monday morning that he 'might have a hangover' in an amusing deadpan post. 

The Irishman was captured on video from inside the party celebrating in style, climbing onto a table and dancing with the glittering gold Ryder Cup in hand. 

Lowry had earned the half-point which eventually won Europe the trophy on foreign soil

Grooving to I'm Good (Blue) by Bebe Rexha and David Guetta, Lowry at one point sunk to his knees, before continuing to dance while briefly imitating Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez's infamous Golden Glove celebration from the 2022 World Cup with the Ryder Cup. 

Lowry had been overcome with emotion after pulling off what he referred to as 'the coolest thing in (his) life' at the end of his singles match, calling the win 'a dream come true'. 

'The Ryder Cup means everything to me,' Lowry said. 'Honestly, I've won The Open in Ireland; it's amazing, it's a dream come true. But the Ryder Cup for me is everything.

'To do that there today on the 18th green in front of everyone... it was so hard out there.

'I mean, fair play to the U.S. lads; we knew they were going to come out fighting.'

Footage had previously emerged of the team celebrating on the bus seemingly en route to the party, with the team and their partners singing along to Zombie by the Cranberries - but with McIlroy's first name substituted into the chorus. 

McIlroy had been on triumphant form himself in the winners' press conference, after an arduous three days of playing in the most hostile of environments - and was in the mood to celebrate. 

When asked how satisfying it had been to 'tell the crowd to shut the eff up and the stiff it to 2 feet', McIlroy had cheekily replied: 'Very f***ing satisfying'. 

- TAMARA PRENN

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WILL USYK APPEAR AT THE OSCARS?

X: @acdmma_ https://x.com/acdmma_/status/1871343275233460632

Oleksandr Usyk may soon find himself walking the red carpet at the Oscars following the strong critical acclaim for his new film, The Smashing Machine. 

Usyk starred alongside Dwyanye Johnson, who played former MMA fighter Mark Kerr, in his film debut. Emily Blunt also co-starred as Kerr’s wife, as the movie was well received at the Venice Film Festival. Johnson is being tipped for an Oscar nomination, while Usyk could be invited after playing Ukrainian fighter Igor Vovchanchyn. The film is set to open in cinemas worldwide on October 3.

“Johnson gives a performance of immense pathos, intensity and depth – one that looks bound to win him awards recognition,” Geoffrey Macnab said

It has been a remarkable period for Usyk of late. He stopped Daniel Dubois in July to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. It was the second time he had achieved this at the weight class. However, his next fight is uncertain after he received a 90-day extension by the WBO to negotiate his mandatory title defense against Joseph Parker. The extension was requested due to a back injury. But outside of boxing, Usyk has plenty to keep himself occupied as he admitted that his current reason for boxing is just discipline.

“I don’t have motivation. I have discipline. This is why I am champion. I believe this with all my heart. It carries me through the ring, through life, through every challenge. “This is why I stand. Carry this with you,” Usyk said

- boxingnews.com.

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FORMER FOOTBALLER FROM ZAÏRE (NOW DR CONGO) AND FATHER OF ROMELU LUKAKU HAS PASSED AWAY

'Life will never be the same again' - Romelu Lukaku removes all Instagram posts with Napoli striker in mourning after his father passes away aged 58

Romelu Lukaku is in mourning after the passing of his father, Roger, at just 58. The Napoli striker, currently sidelined with injury, removed all Instagram posts and left a single tribute to his late father. Lukaku, who played a key role in Napoli’s title-winning campaign last season, now faces a period of personal grief alongside his road to recovery.

Getty Images Sport

A family tragedy for the Lukakus

Lukaku has announced the death of his father Roger, who passed away at the age of 58. The Napoli striker, joined by his brother Jordan, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, writing: “Life will never be the same again.” 

Lukaku's emotional gesture on Instagram for his father

As part of his mourning, the Belgian striker has since deleted all previous posts from his profile, leaving only a picture with his father. In it, he thanked Roger for protecting and guiding him, admitting the pain “flows like rivers.” The symbolic act underlines the depth of his grief during what is already a testing period due to injury. 

Lukaku posted on his Instagram profile in memory of his father: "Thank you for teaching me everything I know. I will always be grateful and appreciate you. Life will never be the same again. You protected and guided me like no one else could have done. I will never be the same again. The pain and tears are flowing freely. But God will give me the strength to get back up. Thank you for everything."

The man who shaped his sons’ careers

Roger Lukaku, a former striker for Zaire who also played in Belgium and Turkey, had a complicated yet influential role in his sons’ lives. Though his relationship with Romelu and Jordan suffered following his divorce, Roger expressed his hopes of reconciliation in 2023, saying: "I hope this article reopens the floodgates. I feel like one day things will be okay again, because the current situation is hurting me so much." Despite past struggles, Romelu credited him for teaching him “everything I know.”

What lies ahead for Lukaku and Napoli

Lukaku who delivered 14 goals and 10 assists in Serie A last season, is currently recovering from a thigh injury that could rule him out until early 2026. Napoli will hope he can return fully fit, but for now, football takes a back seat as their No.9 focuses on family, healing, and eventually finding strength to step back on the pitch.

Additional reporting by Stefano Silvestri.

- Chirayu Parmar

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LEWIS HAMILTON'S BELOVED PET DOG RASCOE HAS PASSED AWAY

 

After being ill for several days, Roscoe Hamilton passed away on Monday. The animal, inseparable from his master, had become the paddock's mascot over the years.

Last Friday, in the guard of honor welcoming the return to Formula 1 de Romain Grosjean At Mugello, a man was missing. Lewis Hamilton was not present alongside Ferrari for a Pirelli test weekend and was therefore unable to pay tribute to his former rival, whom he spent ten years alongside on the track.

The Briton had stayed in England to care for his dog Roscoe, who had pneumonia and was in a coma after going into cardiac arrest. After four days of care, the English bulldog died this Sunday in the arms of his illustrious master.

© DPPI

“He never stopped fighting, until the very last moment. I feel so grateful and honored to have shared my life with such a beautiful soul, an angel and a true friend,” notably shared Lewis Hamilton. “Welcoming Roscoe into my life was the best decision I have ever made, and I will forever cherish the memories we have created together.”

“It’s one of the most painful experiences, and I feel a deep connection to anyone who has gone through the loss of a beloved pet. Even though it’s been so hard, having him by my side has been one of the most beautiful parts of life: to love so deeply and be loved in return.”

Roscoe had become one of the paddock's mascots over the years, often appearing alongside the champion. He also had another bulldog, named Coco, who passed away in 2020. The seven-time world champion received support from the paddock via several messages of comfort from current and former drivers.

- Cyprien Juilhard

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HOW BAFANA BAFANA CAN STILL QUALIFY FOR 2026 WORLD CUP

After FIFA docked points. Bafana drops three points, losing their top spot in Group C to Benin but how can they qualify for the World Cup?

Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. Image: @BafanaBafana/X

Bafana Bafana were docked points for fielding an ineligible player during their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.

Teboho Mokoena of South Africa was meant to serve a one-match suspension in that match, which Bafana won 2-0; however, he featured, which then saw FIFA get involved. In their ruling, FIFA overturned Bafana’s win, and the match is now recorded as a 3-0 victory for Lesotho.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has declared the match in question to have been forfeited… SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000,” read an official FIFA statement.

HOW CAN BAFANA QUALIFY FOR NEXT YEAR’S WORLD CUP?

Bafana drops three points, losing their top spot in Group C to Benin. Both South Africa and Benin have 14 points, but the West Africans have a superior goal difference.

Bafana’s task is simple: win all matches by a big margin, and they qualify for the World Cup. Hugo Broos’ men play Zimbabwe and Rwanda at home next month, which will add more pressure on them like never before.

A 3-0 win over the Warriors and another 3-0 victory against Rwanda should be enough, given Benin’s advantage against South Africa is only a single goal.

The good news for Bafana fans is that Benin will play their final two qualifiers away from home. They face Rwanda before their anticipated encounter with Nigeria, which could decide which team finishes second in the group, assuming Bafana wins their remaining two matches convincingly.

Bafana are in a good position to still qualify for the World Cup, but anything less than a win against Zimbabwe could make things more complicated.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) have lodged an appeal over FIFA’s decision, which could add another twist should Bafana fail to qualify for the World Cup. 

- Eliot Mahlase

BAD BUNNY'S 2026 SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW IS ALREADY BRINGING OUT THE RACISTS

Photo/Shutterstock

Bad Bunny is coming! On September 28, during halftime for Sunday Night Football, the NFL and Roc Nation announced that the Debí Tirar Más Fotos musician will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, which will take place on February 8 at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Bad Bunny has performed at the Super Bowl once before, previously making a cameo during Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's Halftime Show in 2020 — but he'll be the headline performer for the first time ever for the 2026 event. “@badbunnypr is bringing Puerto Rico to the world’s biggest stage,” the official Apple Music account shared on Instagram.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” the Puerto Rican singer, whose given name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, shared in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”

The 2025 Halftime Show, which was headlined by Kendrick Lamar, was watched by over 133 million viewers — higher than the viewership of the actual game itself. Fans of the the global superstar are thrilled to see Benito take on one of the world's biggest stages. But some people are less than excited about the 2026 performer, and took to social media to spout racist backlash, criticizing the musician's political stance and the fact that most of his music is in Spanish, not English.

“Football is an AMERICAN game, we’ve been trying to kick out illegals for YEARS. This will just bring them in,” one xenophobe wrote in the volatile comments section of Bad Bunny's Instagram collab announcement post with the NFL, Roc Nation, and Apple Music. “Will there be subtitles? Asking for 90% of the country,” wrote another Instagram user.

But for every racist or xenophobic comment on Instagram about Bad Bunny's global fan base, there were hundreds more praising the decision. “I hope he doesn’t utter a single word of English the entire show! LET’S GO, BAD BUNNY!” commented one fan. “The racism in this comment section is wild. Way too normalized. Bad Bunny is one of the top 3 most famous artists in this damn world. Yall can zip it,” chimed in another. (It's true: Bad Bunny has been ranked as one of the top three most-streamed artists on Spotify since 2019 and was the most-streamed artist from 2020 to 2022.)

The criticism continued on X, however, with conservative pundits accusing the NFL of “self-destructing” and making “the Super Bowl political," referencing Ocasio's previous comments about ICE and President Donald Trump; ICYMI, Bad Bunny chose not to tour in the United States after the release of Debí Tirar Más Fotos because of ongoing ICE raids.

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate—I’ve performed there many times,” he explained to i-D magazine earlier this month. “All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S."

“But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the U.S.,” Ocasio continued, "People from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of like, f*cking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”

- TEEN VOGUE

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RORY MCILROY WISHES RYDER CUP POLICE DOGS WERE LET OFF THE LEASH AS HE SENDS POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THE BAYING MOB

The superstar’s wife Erica has been hailed a star of Europe’s success for staying strong in the wake of atrocious abuse

(Image: Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy wishes the Ryder Cup police dogs had been let loose on the baying mob at Bethpage.

And the superstar’s wife Erica has been hailed a star of Europe’s success for staying strong in the wake of atrocious abuse that also saw her hit with a beer can during the sickening rabble.

McIlroy emerged from an emotionally-draining week in New York with the trophy in his hands.

But, in getting there, he had to suffer incredible levels of brutal behaviour.

As idiots lost the plot during shameful Saturday, extra police were drafted onto the scene with dogs also in attendance.

McIlroy said: “I wish they had of let the dogs off the leashes. The police out there and the amount of security presence was insane. Look, nothing was going to happen. There wasn’t going to be physical altercation or anything like that, apart from maybe Tommy [Fleetwood] and Rosey [Justin Rose] up to the 16th tee yesterday.

“But look, there was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behaviour. It’s a minority. The majority of people are true golf fans and are respectful and let both teams have the same chance to hit the shots and play a fair contest. But there was a small subset of people that behaved a little bit differently than that.”

Family members being targeted is a disgraceful scenario and, on the can incident, McIlroy said: “It should be off-limits, but obviously it wasn’t this week.

“Erica is fine. She’s a very, very strong woman. She handled everything this week with class and poise and dignity like she always has. I love her and we’re going to have a good time celebrating.”

At that point, McIlroy’s team-mates waded in to add their voice. Shane Lowry, who was beside McIlroy thrrough much of the torture and suffered plenty himself said: “ was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing and the way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.”

Justin Rose added: “Can I just pick up on that, if you don’t mind, because I actually had no idea that Erica had a beer thrown at her, so fair play. She didn’t bring that to the team room. We didn’t make that a big deal. That’s news to me. That says a lot about the strength of Erica and everybody on this team.”

Asked how satisfying it was to tell some lout to “Shut the f**k up” led to McIlroy saying: “Very f**king satisfying.

“I’m quite an impulsive character, if you haven’t noticed. Sometimes I’ll engage and sometimes I’ll catch myself and refrain. But I don’t really choose when and it’s just sort of sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.

“Look, I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there. Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how to play by the rules. It teaches you how to respect people.

“Sometimes this week we didn’t see that. So, no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup. But we will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable. Come and support your home team. Come and support your team.

“I think if I was an American, I would be annoyed. I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie [Scheffler], but I heard a lot of shouts against me. Support your players. That’s the thing.

“It was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played.

“I chirped back a few times because it got to me a few times, but we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise and, for the most part, I felt like we did that.

(Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)

“I just tried to stay in my own little bubble as much as possible. It was obviously quite difficult to do that at times. I just knew every hole that I completed was a little bit closer to that goal that we all had in mind and that was really the important thing.

“I was so appreciative to the vice-captains and Luke and everyone that was out there. Thomas Bjorn walked with me a lot and he kept encouraging me. He kept saying, seven more holes, six more holes, five more holes. “Just knowing that you have that support of your team, it means a lot, especially in an environment like that out there.”

In the end, McIlroy had the last laugh. He said after Rome his team were going to win at Bethpage two years later and so they did.,

He smiled: “It’s nice to be right. I’m not right all the time. I have absolute confidence in this team, absolute confidence in our leader, Luke Donald. The vice captains, the backroom staff, the things that people don’t see behind the scenes. I think we won in Rome and the wheels were set in motion to try to do something that had not been done in over a decade.

“We believed a lot in our continuity and I believe that we had a really special group in Rome. Look, I said that in the euphoria of winning a Ryder Cup, but I really felt like we had definitely way more of a chance than we had in Whistling Straits in 2021.”

- Craig Swan

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GARY NEVILLE TAKES AIM AT RUBÉN AMORIM FOR MAKING 'ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS' MAN UNITED DECISION

Gary Neville has questioned whether Ruben Amorim knows how to get the best out of Mason Mount following Manchester United's defeat to Brentford at the weekend

Gary Neville reflects on the weekend's action from St. James' Park on his podcast(Image: The Gary Neville Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kczh3yjiE8w)

Gary Neville has questioned why Ruben Amorim keeps playing Mason Mount at left wing-back. The 26-year-old midfielder, who Manchester United signed from Chelsea for £60m in July 2023, came on for Luke Shaw during Saturday afternoon's 3-1 defeat to Brentford.

Mount had started each of United's first three games of the new Premier League season before picking up a knock in the 3-2 win over Burnley. The England international missed the Manchester Derby, and he made his return off the bench in the 2-1 victory against Chelsea.

Mount appeared again at the weekend, but he couldn't claw back a point for Amorim's side. Shortly after coming on, Mathias Jensen put the third and final nail in United's coffin after a quick break.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast at St. James' Park on Sunday evening, Neville reflected on the result at the G-Tech Community Stadium. The United legend described the decision to play Mount at left wing-back again as 'absolutely ridiculous'.

"There was something that happened in that game that I mentioned on my podcast two or three weeks ago that I said we couldn't see again," said Neville. "I said that Mason Mount ended up at left wing-back.

"There's sticking to your plan, and then there's your coach that's got an idea and making sure that he delivers that idea and not flip-flopping with his idea with players, which can sometimes undermine what you're trying to achieve.

“But then when you're putting Mason Mount at left wing-back – and he's ended up at left wing-back again at Brentford in the last five minutes of the game – it starts to look awful."

Ruben Amorim oversaw another disappointing afternoon for Manchester United as they lost at Brentford on Saturday (Image: Getty Images)

He added: "You can't put Mason Mount at left wing-back. I'm sorry, it just can't happen. I can't watch Mason Mount play left wing-back in a football team.

"I struggled at times to watch him in his natural position, but actually putting him out there on the left wing, is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous."

On United, Neville said: I'm very worried. The performance that we saw and the result at Brentford means that you feel the Chelsea game was skewed by the sending off.

Mason Mount playing for Manchester United against Chelsea(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

"You start to look at the Chelsea win less positively. That's just football. I think there are a lot of United fans coming out of that ground last Saturday, including me, thinking, 'Brentford away, Sunderland at home next week has a real opportunity to get nine points on the board, on the bounce, and then you'll be well up in the top six or eight'.

"But the Brentford game was a really poor performance and a real worry. I felt for the first time, just through instinct, watching it on the television, seeing players' faces and body language, that there might be an element of players really doubting the system and what's going on."

- Jake Stokes

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IAN WRIGHT'S CRAZY REACTION AND TEARS AFTER MIKEL MERINO'S LAST MOMENT GOAL | NEWCASTLE VS. ARSENAL

 

GABRIEL WINS MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD VS. NEWCASTLE

 

ARSENAL FOUGHT LIKE WARRIORS DESPITE POOR OFFICIATING VS. NEWCASTLE

 

PREMIER LEAGUE UNBEATEN CLUBS

 

LIVERPOOL'S NEXT FIVE MATCHES

 

MARC MARQUEZ IS THE 2025 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

 

CANADA FALLS TO ENGLAND AT THE WOMEN'S RUGBY 🏉 WORLD CUP FINAL

RED ROSES 🌹 RUN RIOT | ENGLAND VS. CANADA | HIGHLIGHTS

 

ATLÉTICO DE MADRID 5-2 REAL MADRID | XABI ALONSO | PIST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE

 

MOTD | MANCHESTER CITY 5-1 BURNLEY | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

GAME ON HAI | SRI LANKA VS. INDIA | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

 

BRENTFORD 3-1 MANCHESTER UNITED | BEES 🐝 STING DEVILS 👿 | POST MATCH ANALYSIS & RUBÉN AMORIM INTERVIEW

 

CRYSTAL PALACE VS. LIVERPOOL | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

 

YOUNG AFRICANS (YANGA) VS. WILIETE | CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

 

LEWIS HAMILTON GETS SUPPORT FOR HIS BELOVED DOG RASCOE

 

BRYAN MBUEMO MEME 😂

 

KENYA LEGENDS THRASH UGANDA TO WIN SPORTPESA LEGENDS CUP FOR THIRD YEAR IN A ROW

Kenya Legends successfully defended the SportPesa Legends Cup for the third year in a row after thrashing Uganda Legends 70-35 on aggregate in the 2025 edition of the tournament.

With a narrow 19-17 advantage from the first leg, the Kenya Legends recorded an emphatic 51-18 win in the second leg played at the RFUEA Grounds, the biggest margin since the inception of the tournament in 2023, to complete the three-peat.

A brace from Kenya 7s all-time top try scorer Collins Injera and Victor Mose as well as tries apiece from Wilson K’Opondo, Tony Owuor, Victor Sudi and Edwin Machanje got the job done against an overrun Ugandan side.

Previous Legends Cup meetings

Kenya 51-18 Uganda (September 27, RFUEA Grounds)

Uganda 17-19 Kenya (May 2025, Kyadondo Grounds)

Kenya 24-15 Uganda (September 2024, RFUEA Grounds)

Uganda 15-26 Kenya (June 2024, RFUEA Grounds)

Kenya 31-12 Uganda (September 2023, RFUEA Grounds)

Uganda 6-38 Kenya (May 2023, Legends Grounds)

- Stephen Ochieng

SPRINGBOKS | MOST POINTS SCORED BY SPRINGBOKS

 

HUMILIATION! | ATLÉTICO MADRID VS. REAL MADRID

 

ATLÉTICO DE MADRID 5-2 REAL MADRID | MADRID DERBY

 

JIM BROWN & MUHAMMAD ALI.| 1966

 Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali in 1966.

#boxing #football #jogging #brothersfromanothermother❤️

MUHAMMAD ALI QUOTE

 

MACINTYRE VS. HOVELAND | SATURDAY FOURSOME | RYDER CUP 2025

 

FIRST TEE WALKOUT | FOURSOME | RYDER CUP 2025

 

DAY 1 | RYDER CUP 2025

 

MAX VERSTAPPEN CRUISES TO STUNNING NORDSCHLEIFE GT3 DEBUT VICTORY

© NLS

Max Verstappen and team-mate Chris Lulham have earned victory in the NLS race at the Nurburgring.

Max Verstappen and team-mate Chris Lulham secured a stunning victory at the wheel of their Ferrari 296 GT3 machine at the Nurburgring.

After qualifying third in a misty and rainy qualifying, Verstappen started the #31 machine for the four-hour race around the 'Green Hell' - and immediately earned the lead.

Taking the rolling start, the F1 world champion roared into a lead he would never lose, gradually extending his advantage over the #6 Ford Mustang, whose crew included 'ring ringer Frank Stippler.

Verstappen stayed on-board the #31 for two hours, taking the first two stints, before handing over to Verstappen.com Racing team-mate Lulham for the final couple of hours. 

Verstappen's lead had ballooned to 1m:10 before he handed over to Lulham, who lost some time in his stint through a variety of yellow flag and slow zones. 

In the end, the 28-lap race was won by the Verstappen-Lulham entry by over 20 seconds, as Verstappen won on his GT3 debut. 

In second place was the #9 Ford Mustang, including Briton Jann Mardenborough, racing at the Nurburgring for the first time since a 2015 accident, in which a spectator was killed after his car flipped over a catch-fencing barrier.

Verstappen has made clear his desire to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, with the race taking place in May 2026, between the Miami and Canadian F1 Grands Prix.

- Jake Nichol

TANZANIA BEATS ANGOLA 0-3 | U20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

 

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

 

MORE PENALTY MISERY FOR MANCHESTER UNITED AND BRUNO FERNANDES IN BRENTFORD LOSS

Bruno Fernandes failed from the penalty spot again as Manchester United were beaten 3-1 at Brentford.

Igor Thiago’s first-half double put Brentford in command before United were handed a lifeline by Benjamin Sesko’s first goal since his £73million move from RB Leipzig.

Substitute Mathias Jensen sealed matters in the fifth of eight minutes of stoppage time after Fernandes had wasted a golden chance to equalise with the contest having moved into the final quarter.

Bryan Mbeumo, back at Brentford after ending a six-year stay with the Bees in the summer, was dragged down by Nathan Collins in front of goal.

But Fernandes, who missed the target from 12 yards at Fulham last month, was wasteful as Caoimhin Kelleher went to his left and saved with a strong hand.

Brentford had won only once in the Premier League and started the day just outside the bottom three, but an excellent team performances was typified by the excellent Jordan Henderson and Mikkel Damsgaard in midfield and Thiago’s clinical finishing.

Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte and Matheus Cunha returned after United’s win over Chelsea with boss Ruben Amorim’s hand forced by injury and suspension.

Noussair Mazraoui was injured, Casemiro ruled out by his Chelsea red card, and Amad Diallo unavailable due to a family bereavement.

It meant summer signings Cunha, Mbeumo – who received a warm reception on his Brentford return – and Sesko lined up in the United attack for the first time .

Brentford profited from the first main action after eight minutes as Cunha went to ground and Henderson spotted Thiago’s run.

Thiago advanced to crash a shot high off the post past Altay Bayindir, and the subsequent VAR check showed the Brazilian had been played onside by Harry Maguire’s back foot.

Cunha drove wide from 20 yards as United sought to recover from the early setback.

But Bayindir had to make two fine stops in the space of a minute, palming out Sepp van den Berg’s point-blank effort and acrobatically tipping over a Collins header after Henderson had found space.

Brentford were swarming all over United and doubled their lead after 20 minutes.

Maguire played Kevin Schade onside this time and Bayindir could only divert his cross into the path of Thiago, who squeezed the ball over the line despite the desperate effort of the United goalkeeper to salvage the situation.

Sesko fired straight at Kelleher, but the Slovenian striker did not have to wait long to open his United account.

Mbeumo competed with Kelleher under Patrick Dorgu’s cross and the ball fell kindly for Sesko.

Kelleher kept out two attempts – a header and a stabbed shot – but Sesko slammed home at the third attempt and the goal stood after VAR had checked Mbeumo’s challenge on the goalkeeper.

Cunha’s low drive was collected comfortably, but the second half was a more sedate affair until Schade got the better of Dalot and Dango Ouattara was denied by Bayindir.

United’s frustration grew after Collins was spared a red card, despite not appearing to try and play the ball when holding back Mbeumo, and Fernandes missed from the spot.

Jensen’s thunderous drive finally saw off United as jubilant Brentford fans directed cries of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at Amorim.

- Phil Blanche, PA

BARCELONA OFFER NEW JOAN GARCIA UPDATE AFTER GOALKEEPER UNDERGOES SURGERY

Getty Images

Barcelona have confirmed that Joan Garcia has undergone successful knee surgery and will miss the next 4-6 weeks in a fresh update on their injured goalkeeper.

The stopper picked up the injury in the win over Real Oviedo and went under the knife on Saturday morning in Barcelona.

Here’s the club’s official statement:

“Joan García underwent surgery this Saturday on a torn medial meniscus in his left knee. Dr Joan Carles Monllau performed an arthroscopy at the Hospital de Barcelona, and it has been confirmed that his recovery time will be between 4 and 6 weeks, depending on how he progresses.”

Barcelona will hope that Garcia’s recovery is as swift as anticipated and that he will be back in action soon for Hansi Flick’s side.

Wojciech Szczęsny will take over as No.1 in the meantime, while Diego Kochen is reportedly set to return from Under-20 duty with the United States to serve as the veteran’s back-up.

- Gill Clark

ALEXANDER ALEKHINE | 4TH WORLD CHESS CHAMPION

 "𝑻𝒐 𝒎𝒆, 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆; 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒕." 

— Alexander Alekhine (1892–1946), 4th World Chess Champion

WEST HAM UNITED APPOINT NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO AS HEAD COACH

West Ham United is delighted to announce the appointment of Nuno Espírito Santo as the Club’s new men’s Head Coach.

Nuno has signed a three-year contract with the Hammers and will take charge of his first match on Monday evening when we travel to Everton in the Premier League.

He arrives at London Stadium having put together a hugely impressive coaching career, most recently leading Nottingham Forest to European qualification via a seventh-place Premier League finish and the FA Cup semi-finals last season.

A multiple league title and cup winner as a player with FC Porto and coach with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, the 51-year-old is among the most highly respected coaches in the modern game.

Nuno brings his outstanding coaching ability, tactical acumen and leadership qualities to West Ham United and is looking forward to getting down to work in east London.

“I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United,” he said. “My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be. The work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead.”

The São Tomé-born new head coach took training at Rush Green on Saturday afternoon ahead of the trip to the Hill Dickinson stadium on Monday evening. 

Nuno will be assisted in the interim by Academy coaches Mark Robson, Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine, with a further announcement on his coaching and backroom staff to be made in due course.

Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Nuno to the Club and wish him every success for his career in Claret and Blue.

- West Ham United 

RUBÉN AMORIM AFTER THE DEFEAT AGAINST BRENTFORD

 

YOUNG AFRICANS (YANGA) VS. WILIETE | CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

 

BREAKING: GRAHAM PORTER LEAVES THE HAMMERS

 

CRYSTAL PALACE STARTING XI VS. LIVERPOOL | PREMIER LEAGUE

 

BRENTFORD BEATS MAN UNITED 3-1

 

BEIJING 2025 | DAY 2

MAX VERSTAPPEN FERRARI GT3 DEBUT

 

GREATEST MIDFIELDERS IN PREMIER LEAGUE HISTORY