The Guardian

Former Test opener issues explanation on social media Khawaja says he would ‘not deny’ everyone knew about sandpaper Usman Khawaja insists he has not thrown anyone under the bus with his bombshell ball-tampering revelations that have rocked Australian cricket. One day on from claiming sandpaper had been used in the Test prior to Cape Town 2018 and the entire team were responsible, Khawaja defende…

‘You need desire and intensity … we didn’t match them’ City have now lost three successive league matches Enzo Maresca blamed his side’s lack of desire and the way they were outgunned in duels for a third successive Premier League defeat. After winning their first seven games of the season, Manchester City’s 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest extended their poor run. Jair Cunha dispossessed Josko Gvar…

Valverde opens scoring in 3-0 victory for Real Madrid Bayern beat Mainz but Neuer’s record-breaking day turns sour Kylian Mbappé scored for the seventh match running as Real Madrid pulled provisionally level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona after a 3-0 win at 10-man Valencia on Saturday. Reigning champions Barça visit Atlético Madrid , third, on Sunday, aiming to move back clear of the ch…

Brentford’s Mali midfielder stood out when he was six and has shone in the Premier League since £39m transfer “When I first saw him, I thought to myself: ‘Who on earth is this player?’ laughs Youness Bengelloun as he remembers Mamadou Sangaré. With the transfer window in full swing in July 2025, the former Manchester City scout and agent was not expecting to come face to face with a “footballing …

Rangers win 2-0 to go one point off top spot Aberdeen slump to 4-0 defeat against Hibernian Rangers banished their recent away day blues with a solid 2-0 win at St Mirren . Draws against Dundee and Hearts in their last two Scottish Premiership games away from Ibrox had blemished their title challenge, but Derek McInnes’s side were determined to leave Paisley without a mark on them. Continue readi…

McLaren driver fastest ahead of Mercedes duo Antonelli to start on front row alongside Norris Lando Norris took pole position for McLaren at the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, with George Russell setting the second fastest time. Norris put in a strong lap in very tricky wet conditions during a qualifying session that took two and a half hours to complete because of heavy rain. Russell, thoug…

Michelle Cooper strikes in extra time to lift Current Kansas City extend unbeaten home record with 1-0 win Seventh-seeded Utah Royals upset San Diego Wave Michelle Cooper converted an extra-time penalty to give the Kansas City Current a 1-0 victory over Angel City on Sunday in the quarter-finals of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs. The fourth-seeded Current will face the winner of Sund…

Spaniard may feel some of Old Trafford’s allure when he goes there on Sunday but he is right in wanting to stay at the club with brighter prospects On Sunday afternoon, shortly before 4.30, Unai Emery will leave the tunnel at Old Trafford and walk along the touchline towards the bench. Will he glance around the grand old stadium – faded and leaking though it may be in parts – and think that he co…

Wales 28-21 Japan Adams scores twice as Wales secure third win in five Tests Josh Adams grabbed two tries ⁠and Louis ‌Rees-Zammit rounded off the scoring as Wales claimed a bonus-point 28-21 victory over Japan in ⁠the Nations ⁠Championship, but there will be much for their coach, Steve ⁠Tandy, to ponder after a lacklustre display. It was a third win ⁠in five Tests for Wales, an ​improvement on th…

Harriers storm to victory at Aggborough Blackpool survive fright against Hornchurch Non-league Kidderminster breezed into the second round of the FA Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory over League One Doncaster . The National League outfit opened the scoring after 22 minutes when Maz Kouhyar pulled the ball back to Lewis Walker and he fired home at the second attempt after his initial shot had hit …

Rodrigo Muniz came off the bench to rescue a point for Fulham and deny Matthias Jaissle a welcome victory after a difficult week. Newcastle produced an improved display after a run of four defeats in five games in all competitions but they could not hold out after going 1-0 up thanks to a vicious late strike from Jacob Murphy. Muniz stretched Fulham’s unbeaten run to four games after scoring his …

As most Arsenal supporters would testify, patience is a virtue. They needed plenty during the 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions and Mikel Arteta’s side certainly had to retain their composure as they tried to break down a dogged Hull team. They had not beaten Arsenal in 14 attempts since winning on their first visit to this ground in 2008. But with 20 minutes still to play, ther…

Scotland 21-43 New Zealand Ashman scores hat-trick before Scotland fall to defeat Scotland never got going; Murrayfield never got going; New Zealand did. Scotland have had some agonising defeats here in recent years, as they chase that first win against the All Blacks. This was not one of them. This was dispiritingly routine. Despite a hat-trick of tries for Ewan Ashman, the irrepressible hooker,…

Decades of professionalism, investment and industrialised training methods have rendered the gulf between the sporting gods and mortals virtually unbridgeable “She walked in here a hairdresser from Milton Keynes – and walks out £501,000 richer!” Gary Lineker announced at the conclusion of Netflix’s Beat Luke Littler on Friday night. Which, while strictly accurate as a description of the winner Fa…

Leeds secured their first win in six Premier League games as Noah Okafor’s goal was enough to end Tottenham’s winning run on an afternoon when the tactical creativity of Daniel Farke proved significant. Leeds had started the season superbly, with eight points from their first four games. They had begun to stutter of late though, leading Farke to revert to the 3-5-2 system which many believed save…