MARCUS RASHFORD EXILED AT MAN UNITED OVER STANDARDS - RÚBEN AMORIM

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.

Rashford has been dropped from the squad for the last three games against Manchester City, Tottenham and Bournemouth.

Amorim has suggested his omission is down to performances in training rather than the interview in which Rashford said he wants to leave the club, and the United head coach said he's happy to leave the 27-year-old on the sidelines until the issue is rectified.

"When I feel that it is the right moment I will change something until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team," Amorim said when asked about Rashford's situation.

"I speak with him every day, not about the interview but about the performance.

"It's my decision. He wants to play. He is trying. It's my decision, only my decision. I'm trying to do things my way. And it's the only way I know if I don't do that I will lose myself and I will not lose myself. I know what I'm doing."

After back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Bournemouth, United face Wolves on Boxing Day.

Asked what Rashford needs to do before being considered for a return at Molineux, Amorim said: "Be the best that he can be.

Marcus Rashford has not featured in Manchester United's recent fixtures. Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

"If you have big talents, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment. And some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. So this is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. So we have to face it and be strong in this moment. That's what I want for every player on the team."

Amorim's news conferences have been dominated by questions about Rashford since he was axed from the squad for the Manchester derby.

But he insists the England forward is not becoming a distraction, particularly because players and staff "understand" his stance.

"It's not [a distraction] for me," said Amorim.

'Not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training, they understand. That is the key point. For the media and for the other people I cannot control that.

"But I'm really focused and they know, I'm so clear in my message, everybody in Carrington knows what I'm talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else. So it's not a distraction for us, maybe it's for the media but that is not my concern."

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

ARSENAL'S BUKAYO SAKA OUT FOR 'MANY WEEKS' WITH HAMSTRING INJURY

Arsenal suffered a major injury blow on Monday after Mikel Arteta confirmed winger Bukayo Saka will be sidelined for "many weeks" with a torn hamstring.

Sources have told ESPN that the 23-year-old was told the news after seeing a specialist, having left the stadium on crutches following the Gunners' 5-1 win at Crystal Palace last weekend.

"It's not looking good," Areta said. "He's going to be out for many weeks. I cannot be too specific because I don't know, but it will be many weeks.

"It's a huge [blow]. He's obviously a big player for us, you just have to see the impact that he has on the team. It's going to be a really good exercise for us to think of ways to overcome another challenge because we've had a lot over the season.

"I am putting some ideas together. I haven't got there yet. But I have a few. Then I want to speak with the players as well to understand how we are going to generate that and take it in a positive way. Because that is going to mean we are going to be different.

"He was gutted. You can tell that he has not been injured because he was really, really emotional and really down. And we need to lift him up. It is a big part of his job. And he will be fine but he is going to need a few days. He will immediately realise that he is so important in that dressing room.

"His energy level, his body language, and how he communicates with the rest of the team has to be really good because it is the only way at the moment he can help, so he better do that well."

Bukayo Saka picked up the injury against Crystal Palace on Saturday. David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Although Arteta was keen to play up the internal alternatives, news that Raheem Sterling is also set for a spell on the sidelines following a knee injury is a further blow given the Chelsea loanee would have been an obvious replacement.

"He's going be out for weeks I believe," Arteta said. "He needs further testing tomorrow to understand the extent of his injury. It's his knee. We have to wait and see another 24 hours. Unfortunately he's going to be out for a while."

It is the third hamstring injury Saka has suffered this season.

The England international is a pivotal player for Arteta, starting 16 of their 17 Premier League matches -- only missing October's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth through injury.

He has amassed nine goals and 13 assists in 24 games across all competitions and when asked whether Arsenal are ready to go into the January transfer market to replace Saka if needed, Arteta replied: "The preparation is done and we are ready if something happens. Obviously we didn't predict a situation with Bukayo and Raheem out at the same time.

"We predicted more it would be something else, for example if something happened in the defensive line. But the job is done and, okay, if something has to happen, we will be open. But the main focus is now, how will we extract still a lot of potential that there is in this squad."

Arsenal host Ipswich at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

5 MEN SENTENCED IN AMSTERDAM FOR ROLES IN VIOLENT ATTACKS AFTER SOCCER MATCH WITH ISRAEL

At least 5 people were hospitalized and more than 20 injured on the night that saw more than 60 arrests in what Dutch authorities described as "unacceptable" anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans following a Europa League match in Amsterdam. 10 of the arrested were Israeli nationals and most either received fines or had a case dismissed. Photo Provided by Jeroen Jumelet/EPA-EFE
 

A Dutch court on Tuesday found five people guilty on a series of charges stemming violent clash after a match between an Israeli and Dutch soccer team in November.

The court in the Netherlands sentenced five men for their role in violent activities that took place after a soccer game in Amsterdam between the native Ajax team and the visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Johan Cruijff Arena during a Thursday night on Nov. 7, which sparked international condemnation.

Three were found guilty of committing violence and the other two guilty of aiding and abetting violence. One of the defendants also was found guilty of making an offensive remark against Jewish people.

At least five people were hospitalized and more than 20 injured on the night that saw more than 60 arrests in what Dutch authorities described as "unacceptable" anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans following a UEFA Europa League match in Amsterdam. Of the arrested, 10 were Israeli nationals and most either received fines or had a case dismissed.

Hundreds of Israeli Maccabi supporters were "ambushed and brutally attacked," the Israel Foreign Ministry previously claimed. "Mobs chanted anti-Israel slogans and proudly shared videos of their violent acts on social media -- kicking, beating, even running over Israeli citizens," the ministry stated.

The five unidentified men Tuesday represented the first to be tried and sentenced in connection with the riots.

About 45 people were issued fines for minor offenses, however, more arrests could follow with 100 others still under investigation.

Officials said roughly 800 police officers were deployed to the streets in reinforcements from across the small west European nation.

It was reported the chief prosecutor did not charge the men for terrorist acts because the court believed it was not their intent to instill fear but operated from a place of "anger, frustration and sadness" over Israel's alleged war crimes in Gaza.

A demonstration was planned at the Johan Cruijff Arena but was banned and deemed a security risk by the municipality.

Footage circulated online appeared to show Maccabi Tel Aviv fans shouting racist chants about Arabs and Palestinians and tearing a Palestinian flag from a building.

A WhatsApp group called "Community Center II" with around 900 members was used to communicate information about "those Jews" and where they could be found. Two 26-year-olds were individually sentenced to prison one for a month and the other for 10 weeks after being found guilty of aiding and abetting the riots via the app. One called for violence saying he would not get the same chance.

A number of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans had been involved in past racist incidents in Israel including verbally abusing Palestinian and Arab players in the side, trying to get the owners to fire them, and for attacking demonstrators opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the BBC reported.

The violence stemmed from "a toxic combination of anti-semitism, hooliganism, and anger about the conflicts in Palestine and Israel, and other countries in the Middle East," Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema wrote in a 12-page letter days after the riots.

According to the court, a 32-year-old will spend six months in prison for allegedly committing multiple acts of violence including beating several victims already on the ground and fly-kicking another person into a moving tram.

Meanwhile, after attacking Maccabi soccer team supporters with a group of other men, a 24-year-old was slapped with a one-month prison term for also kicking a person a number of times while they were on the ground and for stealing a scarf.

And a 19-year-old got 100 hours of community service under juvenile law. He took part in violent WhatsApp chats and allegedly carried out violent acts before the game, and was found to of likewise been violent with a police officer during pre-gram demonstrations, according to officials.

"We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again," King Willem-Alexander told Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a phone call the day after the riot. He said it was reminiscent of "dark and grim times for the Jewish people."

 - Chris Benson

 

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TWO-TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER ADMITS TO DOPING AS TENNIS IS ROCKED BY ANOTHER DRUG SCANDAL

AP Photo

• Max Purcell has admitted to breaching tennis' anti-doping regulations 
• The two-time Grand Slam winner admitted he was 'devastated' by the news 

Australian tennis player Max Purcell has elected to enter a voluntary provisional suspension after admitting to breaching the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that the 26-year-old had contravened Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, which relates to the 'use of a Prohibited Method'.

The ITIA said that his provisional suspension came into effect on December 12, 2024, but did not stipulate how long the ban would go on for.

Purcell, a two-time doubles Grand Slam winner, has also taken to Instagram to admit he was 'devastated' by the news and revealed that the breach occurred when he had 'unknowingly' received a transfusion of vitamins that was above the 'allowable limit of 100ml'.

He added that he had told the medical agency that he was an athlete and needed the IV to be below 100ml.

As announced by the ITIA today, I have voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension since I unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100ml,' Purcell wrote on Instagram.

'Until last week when I received medical records from a clinic showing that the amount of an IV I had received was above 100ml, I was fully convinced I had done everything to ensure that I had followed the WADA regulations and methods.

'But the records show that the IV was over that 100ml limit, even though I told the medical clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be below 100ml.

'This news was devastating to me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure that everything is WADA safe. I volunteered this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible in trying to put this whole situation behind me. I look forward to being back on the court soon.'

Purcell will now be banned for coaching or playing at any authorised or sanctioned event by the ITIA during his provisional suspension.

The ITIA wrote in a statement: 'The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Australian tennis player Max Purcell has elected to enter into a voluntary provisional suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).

'Twenty-six-year-old Purcell, currently ranked world number 12 in doubles, has admitted to a breach of Article 2.2 of the TADP relating to the use of a Prohibited Method, and requested to enter into a provisional suspension on 10 December 2024. 

'The suspension came into effect on 12 December 2024, and time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanction.'

Purcell partnered with Jordan Thompson this year to reach the doubles final at Wimbledon, before going on to clinch the men's doubles title at the US Open, defeating Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

 He had previously partnered with Matt Ebden to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon in 2022, beating Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in the final. 

The 26-year-old is one of multiple players to have been embroiled in controversy with anti-doping authorities this year, after Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban for testing positive for a banned substance in November. 

The ITIA had accepted that Swiatek's positive tests came through contamination of non-prescription medication melatonin.

Jannik Sinner, who won this year's men's singles title at the Australian Open and the US Open, is another to have made headlines in March after he tested positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol. 

He was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the ITIA, who claimed that there was 'no fault or negligence' from the Italian. 

Shortly after the announcement, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the decision. The case is not likely to be heard until March 2025.

 - ED CARRUTHERS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

LIVERPOOL'S MOHAMED SALAH SETS PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD IN WIN

If this is to be Mohamed Salah's final season at Liverpool, he is going out with a bang.

The Egypt forward scored two goals and set up two more in Liverpool's wild 6-3 win at Tottenham on Sunday to become the first player to reach double figures for both goals and assists before Christmas in a Premier League season.

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TATUM DRAWS COMPARISON TO BIRD AFTER 40-POINT TRIPLE-DOUBLE

Jayson Tatum hit the third triple-double of his career 

CHICAGO -- Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics started slowly, tussling early with the Chicago Bulls.

But the defending NBA champions came on and prevailed 123-98 on Saturday night, with Tatum's 43-point, 16-rebound and 10-assist effort earning the five-time All-Star comparisons to former Celtics great and Hall of Famer Larry Bird.

Tatum's third career triple-double was the first for a Celtics player that included 40 or more points since Bird scored 49 points with 14 rebounds and 12 assists against Portland in a 152-148 double-overtime win March 15, 1992, according to the team.

Tatum emphasized that winning is what matters most, but a little icing on the cake isn't bad.

"Larry Bird is probably the best player to ever wear this uniform," Tatum said. "So any time you accomplish something in the same sentence as him, it's something special, even if you never reach that pinnacle."

Bird finished with 59 triple-doubles in his 13 seasons with Boston. According to the Celtics, Tatum's was the first for the team that included 40 or more points and 15 or more rebounds. Tatum's effort also counted as his sixth straight double-double and 14th this season.

Tatum got rolling in the second quarter, then scored 18 points in the third as Boston used a 19-8 run to open a 93-77 lead heading into the fourth. He finished 16-for-24 from the floor, hitting 9 of 15 3-point attempts. Two free throws rounded out his scoring line.

"As a basketball player, you feel the rhythm, the ball is finding you," Tatum said. "You're just being active all over the place and probably in that third quarter.

"Joe [Mazzulla] just challenges me every night, just to amplify my teammates and figure out ways to dominate all over the court. Obviously tonight, I'm scoring a lot and getting rebounds. It just looks different on a given night."

The game was tied at 42 midway through the second quarter, then the Celtics and Tatum found an offensive rhythm. Boston had a 61-54 lead at the half, using an 8-0 run to open a 12-point lead at one point. Tatum and the Celtics took charge in the third after the Bulls had closed to within five points.

"He went outside what we normally do and that's a testament to him," Mazzulla said. "Just his shot-making, his decision-making, his ability to rebound. I thought he kind of controlled the entire game."

- Associated Press

OLEKSANDR USYK UNANIMOUSLY DEFEATS TYSON FURY IN REMATCH

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Oleksandr Usyk retained the heavyweight championship with another decision victory over Tyson Fury on Saturday, this time unanimously, in a rematch that was every bit as competitive as their first meeting in May.

Usyk, ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer, prevailed by the same score on all three cards: 116-112.

The rounds were difficult to score as Fury found plenty of success, particularly from the southpaw stance as he switched from orthodox, but Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) enjoyed the bout's most indelible moments.

The Ukrainian, fighting for his war-torn nation, consistently beat the far bigger Fury to the punch and connected on a bevy of overhand lefts.

"I very respect this guy because I think he's very tough," Usyk, 37, told ESPN. " ... Tyson Fury makes me strong. Tyson is a great opponent. Big man. He's a good man. Tyson, a lot of talk but it's just show."

Usyk thanked Fury for an "unbelievable 24 rounds in my career." He called Fury the best opponent he has faced, though he thought the rematch was easier than the first fight.

Fury, 36, believed he did enough to win as he celebrated at the final bell. When the scorecards were announced, he was dejected and left the ring without an interview.

The bout was entertaining from bell to bell, a fast-paced heavyweight matchup that featured few clinches. But it wasn't nearly as thrilling as the first bout (also in Saudi Arabia's capital), which will likely earn Fight of the Year honors.

In that contest for the undisputed heavyweight championship, Usyk floored Fury in Round 9 when the ropes held up the Englishman after 14 unanswered punches. The 10-8 round was the difference on the scorecards.

Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) vowed in the lead-up to the rematch that if he simply didn't clown around and thus avoided a 10-8 round, he would even the score and force a trilogy bout. "The Gypsy King" made good on his promise to take the fight more seriously as he didn't taunt Usyk once.

The only time Fury played to the crowd was during his electric entrance as he belted out Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" followed by The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize."

"More serious," said Fury, ESPN's No. 2 heavyweight, at the postfight news conference " ... I thought I won the fight again. ... I was on the front foot the entire time."

Fury said he was confident he was ahead entering the final round. His right eye was busted up, but otherwise he never appeared hurt in the fight, unlike the first time around.

"When you don't get the knockout, this is what can happen," he said.

The judges agreed on seven of the 12 rounds. Just two of those were for Fury: Rounds 4 and 5, when he was able to score with his powerful right hand, particularly to the body and with a right uppercut to the chin.

And, as in the first fight, Usyk took over during the second half as he imposed his will. Usyk won Rounds 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 unanimously as he was able to consistently back up Fury with relentless, savvy pressure and feints.

The overhand left was Usyk's best weapon, and it was often smartly set up with a jab to the body. Usyk conceded 55 pounds to the 281-pound Fury (a career high, though at the weigh-in he stepped on the scale in a leather jacket and Usyk joked that he might have had cheeseburgers in his pocket, too).

And Usyk's superior hand and foot speed were evident as the southpaw was able to evade many of Fury's power shots set up by a beautiful jab. Usyk is the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and now reigns over boxing's glamour division, too, as the best heavyweight of his generation.

The 2012 Olympic gold medalist owns a pair of wins each over two of the sport's top stars, U.K. fighters who have sold out Wembley Stadium several times: Anthony Joshua and Fury.

"I did the best I could," Fury said. "If I could have done more, I would have done it and that's it."

- Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider

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