bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Andrew Cesare Richardson

It’s early in the English Premier League season, but this does feel a little like an important weekend.
Just 24 hours after Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal all won, none of the chasing pack registered victories.
As I said yesterday, we are creeping into a new “big three” era.
But enough about my daring predictions, here’s a look at what happened in the world of sport while you were sleeping.
Wild Spurs

Tottenham capped off an impressive week in typical Tottenham fashion. Just when their fans begin to hope, they’re brought back down to earth spectacularly.
Brennan Johnson – again – and James Maddison gave Ange Postecoglou’s side a 2-0 lead away to Brighton at half-time.
But somehow, they contrived to lose 3-2 with goals from Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and a particularly painful winner from ex-Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck.
Victory would have brought them to within a point of the top four. But that’s not what Spurs are about. If they do reach the Uefa Champions League, they need to get there the hard way.
Instead, it’s Brighton who are up to sixth and two points off fourth.
Nott happening

Come on, who had Nottingham Forest knocking on the door of a Uefa Conference League finish?
Having already won at Anfield this campaign, the Midlanders leave Stamford Bridge without tasting defeat for the second successive season.
Chris Wood opened the scoring just after half-time to give the visitors the lead before Noni Madueke equalised for a Chelsea side who had won their last five matches.
A late red card for Forest sparked a frantic finish with both goalkeepers making impressive saves.
Chelsea are fourth, three points behind Arsenal, while Forest sit 10th.
Defiant Ten Hag

What is it about Manchester United managers post-Sir Alex Ferguson finding a result when they’re seemingly on the brink of the sack?
Well, except for David Moyes.
With Jose Mourinho on the market following his dismissal at Chelsea, Louis van Gaal had to win his next three games in December 2015 – against Norwich, Bournemouth and Stoke. He actually lost all three and wasn’t dismissed. But in early January, he really was teetering and Wayne Rooney’s 93rd-minute winner against Sheffield United in the FA Cup was met by groans by some fans as it meant the Dutchman stayed on.
Mourinho himself appeared on the brink late 2018, but United came from 2-0 to beat Newcastle 3-2 when UK tabloid reports suggested it was over. He was eventually dismissed more than two months later.
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with two wins from his first six matches in the 2020/21 season, had to travel to Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton and pulled a 3-1 win out of the bag.
Now it tells you a lot about where United are that a 0-0 draw for Erik ten Hag’s side at Aston Villa constitutes a positive result. But so dire has the recent form been, this wasn’t half bad.
It’s also telling that, in a match where he needed a victory, he dropped many of “his” signings and started with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans in central defence.
Of course, it is now the second international break, which is prime sacking season and the whole of the Ineos management team was at the match. But he is still manager. For now …
Villa, meanwhile, stay fifth – three points behind third-place Arsenal.
Elsewhere in Europe
Robert Lewandowski’s first-half hat-trick sent Barcelona back to the top of La Liga as the Catalans beat Alaves 3-0.
While over in Italy, Fiorentina piled the pressure on under-fire AC Milan boss, Paulo Fonseca with a 2-1 victory as the Rossoneri missed two penalties.
As for the Bundesliga, after a breathless start to the campaign, leaders Bayern Munich are now winless in their last three matches as a 94th-minute goal earned Eintracht Frankfurt a 3-3 draw.
And in France, Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Nice.
Same old for India

India carved out a 13th win in 16 T20 meetings with old rivals Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup as former champions West Indies thrashed Scotland.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur produced a steely 29 to steer her side to a scrappy six-wicket victory.
Set 106 to win after restricting Pakistan to 105-8 in their 20 overs, India were looking comfortable at 61-1. But two wickets in two balls by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana opened the door before Kaur took her side to the brink of victory.
With India two runs short, however, she slipped and appeared to rick her neck, leaving the field unbeaten on 29 from 24 balls.
Sajeevan Sajana hit the winning runs from the next delivery as India closed on 108-4, winning with seven balls to spare.
“We have been very disciplined, followed the plans,” India’s Smriti Mandhana said. “In the field we were very good.”
West Indies, the 2016 champions, cruised past Scotland, also by six wickets with 50 balls to spare.
London calling

The Minnesota Vikings prevented a dramatic fightback by Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets to win 23-17 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In front of over 60,000 fans in north London, Minnesota, one of two unbeaten NFL teams so far this campaign, took a 17-0 lead.
But the Jets refused to lie down and fought back with a Garrett Wilson touchdown reducing the score to 20-17 with just six minutes remaining.
However, Minnesota regrouped and extended their lead to claim the victory.
A little extra
Cricket: On the men’s side, Varun Chakravarthy took 3-31 on his return to international cricket as India beat Bangladesh by seven wickets with 49 balls remaining in the first Twenty20. Chakravarthy, who last played T20Is in 2021, returned to the India line-up and helped bowl out Bangladesh for 127 runs in 19.5 overs. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh also took 3-14.
Rugby: England’s women beat New Zealand 49-31 in the WXV to make it two wins from two. England coach John Mitchell said afterwards: “Our intent was really good. We are a team that has evolved and we are coming together cohesively, we can play both sides of the ruck. It was pretty hot, we look forward to scoring more. We knew the pick and go was going to come so it was a good workout for next week.”
Horse racing: Bluestocking stormed to victory in Europe’s most prestigious race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, giving owners Juddmonte a record seventh win. Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah’s family have retained an interest in racing since he died in 2021 and had been tied on six with the late Marcel Boussac.


Ex-England star missing feared dead, Liverpool stay perfect, City Guardiola’s last club

No Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo in World 11, Coote sacked, West Ham win ‘El Sackico’

Chelsea edge Spurs in 7-goal thriller, Arsenal stumble, Norris eyes Verstappen’s crown

City’s suffering goes on, United hit 30-year low, Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in race for title

While you were sleeping

Manchester United, Chelsea draw Tottenham implode – plus T20 cricket, rugby and NFL in UK

Tottenham boss Ange Postecolgou look in deep shock as his side blow a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Brighton. Photo: Reuters

Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven, left, and Brennan Johnson look dejected after defeat to Brighton. Photo: AP

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca looks far from happy after his side’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. Photo: EPA

Erik ten Hag gives instructions to his Manchester United players during the draw with Aston Villa. Photo: DPA

India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur sits on the pitch after she hurt herself while batting. Photo: AP

Tottenham’s stadium played host to the NFL match between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets. Photo: Reuters

Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool win, strong T20 World Cup starts for England, Australia

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka celebrates after scoring the third goal against Southampton to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign. Photo: AP

Mateo Kovacic was Manchester City’s unlikely hero with two goals against Fulham. Photo: DPA

Facundo Buonanotte celebrates as his goal gives Leicester City a first win of the season. Photo: Reuters

Marcus Thuram scored a hat trick as Serie A title holders Inter beat Torino 3-2. Photo: DPA

Contrasting emotions as England celebrate, while Bangladesh’s Sobhana Mostary walks after being dismissed. Photo: Reuters

Pogba ban cut, India’s T20 rout, clash of Premier League wannabes: what happened overnight

Juventus’ Paul Pogba has had his doping ban reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Photo: Reuters

Jannik Sinner speaks during a press conference at the Shanghai Masters on Friday. Photo: AFP

New Zealand players mob Eden Carson (third from left) after she dismissed Smriti Mandhana. Photo: AP

Players prepare for WXV 1 action at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver this week. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Erik ten Hag is manager at Old Trafford at the time of writing while there are familiar scenes at the women’s T20 World Cup


Erik ten Hag is manager at Old Trafford at the time of writing while there are familiar scenes at the women’s T20 World Cup.


English Premier League