Rising taxes mean UK households face several more years of falling living standards even though inflation is coming

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the ninth with a double and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Jose Herrera to give the Arizona Diamondbacks a 5-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics

Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb says the change in approach on added time is here to stay, despite early criticism from top-flight players and managers. Referees in competitions worldwide have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to measure time lost to stoppages more accurately, an approach first adopted at the World Cup in Qatar last year where an additional 11 minutes and six seconds were played on average in the group stage. Webb said the change was necessary as football gets to grips with the “dark arts” of time-wasting, with a a more robust approach set to be taken to dealing with players who delay restarts in play. Sunday’s Community Shield lasted over 105 minutes, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola saying the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the game’s laws, had not consulted with managers and players over the change in approach. Manchester United defender Raphael Varane echoed those criticisms on Monday, saying the change, allied to a congested calendar, was “damaging” to the game. Whereas ‘rule of thumb’ approaches had been used in the Premier League for certain stoppages last season – 30 seconds per goal celebration and substitution for example – referees and their wider team will now be asked to be more exact. The Premier League anticipates the change in approach will increase the length of the average match in the coming season by three minutes and 23 seconds compared to last season – going up to 101 minutes and 49 seconds. Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), said: “As far as I’m aware and concerned (the change in approach on added time) is here to stay. “I appreciate we’re hearing two sides of a coin here, but there was also a lot of noise around the need to do something around increasing effective playing time and getting more game for people who are paying good money to go and watch football. “IFAB have acted undoubtedly with good intentions to try to deal with this. Last season a quarter of the games in the Premier League went above 100 minutes. I am expecting it to settle down. “For sure there’s more dark arts in the game than previously. Everybody tells me that, and I see that myself as well. One of the things that will hurt us here is if we’re not consistent with this in the way that we play it. We have to be. It can’t be a flash in the pan. It can’t be a short-term campaign.” In response to Guardiola’s assertion around a lack of consultation, Webb said: “Certain things change each year in terms of the laws of the game. IFAB is the organisation that ratifies changes. “There is a consultation process that goes into that. There is a way people can feed into the process. For sure there's more dark arts to use in the game than previously. Everybody tells me that, and I see that myself as well. One of the things that will hurt us here is if we’re not consistent with this in the way that we play it. Howard Webb “Obviously, when something is ratified at (IFAB’s) AGM, it comes our way to deliver. By the end of this week I will have done at least 17 pre-season briefings, so people are aware what is coming. I am really keen to keep engaging, consulting and getting feedback and embracing the feedback and comparing it against other feedback we get. “We have to find where the benefit is with any changes we want to apply. Is it frustrating? No. I know consultation does exist from our side, that is what we can control and we will keep engaging.” The other major initiative from a refereeing perspective is a clampdown on poor behaviour from players and managers as part of a wider move to improve conduct, including among fans. Webb said: “For too long our officials have not necessarily been able to make that differentiation (between passion and unacceptable behaviour) or have chosen for whatever reason to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to certain things. “But the power of example is so strong and we are seeing a lot of examples (of bad behaviour) and all the numbers are tracking in the wrong direction around what’s happening in the game in this area. “We’re seeing grassroots officials have a bad experience too often and this has got to change in our sport and we’re determined collectively within the game to do this.” Webb also confirmed audio from VAR decisions – including some clips where errors were made – would be aired on a monthly basis. It follows on from Webb appearing on Monday Night Football towards the end of last season to talk through some incidents from earlier in the season in a bid to provide greater transparency around VAR. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Zak Hardaker admits repaying Leigh coach for his faith would be ‘pretty special’ Billy Vunipola recalled in strong England XV for Wales clash Scotland boss ‘confident’ Ben White will make World Cup despite injury setback

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NFL Rumors: Rob Gronkowski reveals 1 team and coach he'd return to play forAt the way things are going, Rob Gronkowski's next stop as a football player will be Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in four years. Arguably the NFL's greatest tight end in league history hung '...

Dustin Poirier has backed Conor McGregor to stop Michael Chandler inside two rounds, provided that the Irishman is ‘100 percent dedicated and focused’. McGregor and Chandler, both of whom have fought Poirier before, are set to square off later this year, though no date, location or weight class has been confirmed for the UFC bout. Poirier suffered a TKO loss to McGregor in 2014, but the American exacted his revenge in January 2021 with a knockout win, before their trilogy fight six months later ended with McGregor suffering a broken leg. That contest went down as a TKO victory for Poirier, who submitted Chandler in each man’s most recent fight, in November 2022. Poirier discussed McGregor vs Chandler on The MMA Hour this week, saying: “I think that if Conor comes back anything like he was, with his timing and rhythm, with the injury that he had and this long of a lay-off – and we’re not getting any younger either... if he comes back similar to who he was before he left, I think he stops Michael Chandler. “If Conor is who he was before the injury and stuff, I think two rounds; I think the fight’s over in two rounds. “If anybody can [dial back the clock], I think it would be [McGregor]. If he’s 100 percent dedicated and focused, and [he can] put the blinders on and really go at this with all of himself, I think he can. But we’ll see, man. That’s what makes it so interesting.” McGregor’s 2014 victory over Poirier was a key moment on the Irishman’s journey to winning the UFC featherweight title, which he secured in 2015. A year later, McGregor claimed the lightweight belt to become the first dual-weight champion in UFC history. Meanwhile, Poirier is a former interim lightweight champion who has twice failed to win the undisputed belt. Compatriot Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, who has also unsuccessfully challenged for the UFC lightweight title. McGregor’s back-to-back bouts with Poirier in 2021 feature heavily in McGregor Forever, the second documentary covering the 34-year-old’s career. The four-part series was released on Netflix this month, and you can read The Independent’s review here. Poirier is due to return to the ring in July, taking on Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 291. The vacant ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ title will be on the line in the all-American clash, which is a rematch of a 2018 bout won by Poirier. Poirier stopped Gaethje, a fellow former interim lightweight champion, in the fourth round. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary Eddie Hearn and Conor McGregor had ‘friendly row’ after KO of Irish boxer Gary Cully Joe Rogan is right: Tyson Fury has ‘no chance in hell’ against Jon Jones The night Conor McGregor became ‘Mystic Mac’ Eddie Hearn and Conor McGregor had 'friendly row' after KO of Irish boxer Conor McGregor reveals how he scored Katie Taylor fight from ringside

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