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The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

The Ballon d’Or and Ballon d’Or Féminin are annual awards presented by French news magazine France Football and have been running since 1956, with the latest awards ceremony taking place on Monday. Former Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last season while Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for a second consecutive year. Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the favourite to claim the men’s trophy for a record-extending eighth time while Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe should perform well in the voting. Putellas spent most of last season injured, so there will be a new winner for the women’s prize with Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmati the favourite. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the ceremony: When is the Ballon d’Or The 67th annual Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday 30 October 2023. It is expected to begin at 8:00pm BST at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. How can I watch it? The ceremony will be broadcast on L’Equipe’s YouTube channel for free with Chelsea legend Didier Drogba presenting the live coverage. Ballon d’Or 2023: Who is nominated for the men’s award? Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig and Manchester City) Andre Onana (Inter Milan and Manchester United) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and Al-Ittihad) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris Saint-Germain) Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) Ruben Dias (Manchester City) Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan) Erling Haaland (Manchester City) Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City and Barcelona) Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Al-Hilal) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City) Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) Rodrigo (Manchester City) Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami) Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) Kim Min-jae (Napoli and Bayern Munich) Luka Modric (Real Madrid) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-German) Victor Osimhen (Napoli) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich) Ballon d’Or Féminin 2023: Who is nominated for the women’s award? Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa) Lena Oberdorf (Vfl Wolfsburg) Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai) Millie Bright (Chelsea) Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona) Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) Hayley Raso (Manchester City and Real Madrid) Amanda Ilestedt (Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal) Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich) Olga Carmona (Real Madrid) Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona) Rachel Daly (Aston Villa) Alba Redondo (Levante) Lina Caicedo (Real Madrid) Kadidiatou Diani (Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais) Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona) Ewa Pajor (Vfl Wolfsburg) Guro Reiten (Chelsea) Sam Kerr (Chelsea) Debinha (North Carlina Courage and Kansas City Current) Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona) Alexandra Popp (Vfl Wolfsburg) Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) Jill Roord (Vfl Wolfsburg and Manchester City) Katie McCabe (Arsenal) Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais) Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona) Mary Earps (Manchester United) Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw (Manchester City) Mapi Leon (Barcelona) Ballon d’Or 2023: Who is shortlisted for the Yashin Trophy? Brice Samba (Lens) Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb and Fenerbahce) Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal) Andre Onana (Inter Milan and Manchester United) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) Ederson (Manchester City) Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona) Mike Maignan (AC Milan) Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Al-Hilal) Ballon d’Or 2023: Who is nominated for the Kopa Trophy? Xavi (RB Leipzig / PSV Eindhoven) Jamal Musiala (FC Bayern) Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund / Real Madrid) Alejandro Balde (FC Barcelona) Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) Gavi (FC Barcelona) Rasmus Höjlund (Atalanta / Manchester United) Pedri (FC Barcelona) Antonio Silva (Benfica) Elye Wahi (HSC Montpellier / RC Lens) Read More When is the Ballon d’Or? Date, time and how to watch Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 West Ham vs Everton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates West Ham vs Everton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Manchester United v Man City LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Aston Villa vs Luton Town LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony takes place on Monday when football’s most prestigious individual prize is presented to the most worthy recipient. The Ballon d’Or and Ballon d’Or Féminin are annual awards presented by French news magazine France Football and have been running since 1956. Karim Benzema, who led Real Madrid to the Champions League, LaLiga, Uefa Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup titles, lifted the Ballon d’Or trophy last year while Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for a second consecutive year. Lionel Messi is the most decorated Ballon d’Or winner with seven triumphs to his name and is the big favourite to be awarded the trophy again this year after his heroics in helping Argentina win the World Cup. Messi faces competition from Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe. Aitana Bonmati is the favourite to succeed Putellas for the Ballon d’Or Feminin after leading Spain to the Women’s World Cup and Barcelona to the Women’s Champions League. Bonmati was named player of the tournament in both the World Cup and Champions League, while Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr could place highly. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the ceremony: When is the Ballon d’Or The 67th annual Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday 30 October 2023. It is expected to begin at 8:00pm GMT (UK time) at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. How can I watch it? The ceremony will be broadcast on L’Equipe’s YouTube channel for free with Chelsea legend Didier Drogba presenting the live coverage. Ballon d’Or 2023: Who is nominated for the men’s award? Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig and Manchester City) Andre Onana (Inter Milan and Manchester United) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and Al-Ittihad) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris Saint-Germain) Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) Ruben Dias (Manchester City) Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan) Erling Haaland (Manchester City) Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City and Barcelona) Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Al-Hilal) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City) Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) Rodrigo (Manchester City) Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami) Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) Kim Min-jae (Napoli and Bayern Munich) Luka Modric (Real Madrid) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-German) Victor Osimhen (Napoli) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich) Ballon d’Or Féminin 2023: Who is nominated for the women’s award? Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa) Lena Oberdorf (Vfl Wolfsburg) Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai) Millie Bright (Chelsea) Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona) Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) Hayley Raso (Manchester City and Real Madrid) Amanda Ilestedt (Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal) Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich) Olga Carmona (Real Madrid) Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona) Rachel Daly (Aston Villa) Alba Redondo (Levante) Lina Caicedo (Real Madrid) Kadidiatou Diani (Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais) Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona) Ewa Pajor (Vfl Wolfsburg) Guro Reiten (Chelsea) Sam Kerr (Chelsea) Debinha (North Carlina Courage and Kansas City Current) Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona) Alexandra Popp (Vfl Wolfsburg) Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) Jill Roord (Vfl Wolfsburg and Manchester City) Katie McCabe (Arsenal) Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais) Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona) Mary Earps (Manchester United) Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw (Manchester City) Mapi Leon (Barcelona) How is the Ballon d’Or decided? The awards honour the male and female players deemed to have performed the best over the previous season with the victors decided by 100 journalists from Fifa’s top-ranked member nations. Each journalist makes their top five picks from the 30-player shortlists, with each ranking earning a number of votes. The higher the ranking the more votes goes to a player. The players with the most votes at the end of the tally win the awards. Ballon d’Or 2023: Who are the favourites? Lionel Messi is the favourite with the bookies to win a record-extending eighth prize, He led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, scoring seven goals - including two in the final - and won the tournament’s Golden Ball for best player. His main competition comes from Manchester City’s Erling Haaland after an extraordinary debut season with the Premier League champions saw him score 52 goals across all competitions helping Pep Guardiola’s lift the Treble. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and City midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri are expected to also feature highly. For the women’s prize Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati is being backed to win the award having earned the Golden Ball during Spain’s first-ever World Cup win in Australia and New Zealand. Chelsea’s Sam Kerr scored 29 goals helping the Blues win a domestic double while Georgia Stanway could be an outside pick after impressing in England’s run to the final and clinching a domestic title with Bayern Munich. What are the other awards given out? Alongside the men’s and women’s main awards, there will also be the presentations of the Kopa Trophy, the Yashin Trophy, the Socrates Award, the Gerd Muller Trophy and Club of the Year. The Kopa Trophy is given to the best Under-21 player while the Yashin Trophy is presented to the best performing goalkeeper. The Socrates Award is handed out for humanitarian work done by a footballer and the Gerd Muller Trophy is for the best striker for club and country. Club of the Year is self-evident and was won by Manchester City last year. Read More Ballon d’Or shortlist: Who are the nominees for 2023 award? Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 West Ham vs Everton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates West Ham vs Everton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Manchester United v Man City LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Aston Villa vs Luton Town LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

By Nick Mulvenney PARIS New Zealand arrived at the Rugby World Cup in the unusual position of not

Eddie Hearn claimed Tyson Fury’s performance against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou showed that Anthony Joshua would “knock Fury out inside six rounds” if the British heavyweight rivals were to ever meet in the ring. Fury survived a knockdown and avoided the first loss of his professional career when he was named a split-decision winner against Ngannou in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou, was making his boxing debut yet outfought Fury for much of the bout, as a stunned audience looked on. The 37-year-old former UFC champion was a massive underdog but produced a superb performance with immense discipline and aggression, and many figures in the world of boxing declared that the “Predator” had been denied a rightful win. After the fight, Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring to face off with Fury, whom he is contracted to fight next. Ukrainian Usyk, unbeaten like Fury, holds the unified heavyweight boxing titles. The pair have been rumoured to clash in Riyadh on 23 December, though Fury and his promoter Frank Warren played coy after the fight with Ngannou. But Hearn, who promotes Joshua, believes that is not the fight the boxing world wants to see after Fury’s performance against Ngannou. “I’m absolutely lost for words,” the Matchroom boss said. “I mean Francis Ngannou has never boxed before. Fair play to him, he didn’t look overly impressive, but Tyson Fury looked like he’s never laced up a pair of gloves before. “Got dropped in the third round, never threw a punch. Ngannou never threw a punch after. I thought Ngannou won by two rounds. The boxing world has gone mad. “Forget Fury vs Usyk - no one is interested. Just give us Fury vs AH. AJ will knock Tyson Fury out inside six rounds. Make the fight or we will never get it. “Or, rematch Ngannou, because the guy deserves it. I still don’t know what Tyson Fury was doing.” Fury said afterwards that he was rusty on what was his first fight in 10 months but declared it to be a “perfect” night ahead of his heavyweight showdown with Usyk. “That definitely wasn’t in the script,” said Fury. “[Ngannou] is a lot better of a boxer than we thought he’d be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher, and I respect him a lot. He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward; he was waiting for me to throw my punches then looking to counter. “[The knockdown] is a part of boxing. I got caught behind the head. I got up and it was alright; I got back to my boxing. “I don’t know how close [the fight] was, but I got the win and that’s what it is. I’ve been out of the ring a long time again. You can see it in here – ring rust, everything. No excuses, though. He’s cut me across the eye there. It was a good, rough fight. Perfect.” Read More Jack Catterall likely to face Josh Taylor rematch in Glasgow or Manchester Hearn predicts Fury vs Joshua prize money Fury vs Ngannou LIVE: Boxing fight result and reaction Fury vs Ngannou LIVE: Boxing fight result and reaction Tyson Fury embarrassed by Francis Ngannou and the punch that changed boxing Tyson Fury hints at next steps after Francis Ngannou victory

Mikel Arteta praised “top-level” striker Eddie Nketiah after the England international hit a first Premier League hat-trick over Sheffield United. In a 5-0 win, Nketiah scored the first three goals as Arsenal ran out comfortable victors over the bottom club. Fabio Vieira’s penalty and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s first goal for the club completed the win. Nketiah dedicated the hat-trick to his aunt, who recently died. “I’m really happy for him, an academy player to experience in the Premier League a hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment. He fully deserves it and hopefully, there are many more to come" Arteta said. Read More Arteta showing he is ‘one of best in the world’, says Chelsea boss Pochettino Kim Kardashian’s son’s ‘worst day of my life’ after private jet trip to watch Arsenal Starmer explains how Mikel Arteta has built ‘best’ Arsenal squad in ‘very long time’

Chelsea were “not nasty enough” in their attack as Brentford won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino lamented after his team’s third home Premier League defeat of the season. Victory for the visitors was earned with second-half goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo, which maintained Brentford’s 100 per cent record on the ground since being promoted to the top flight in 2021. After Chelsea’s run of three league games unbeaten ended, Pochettino said: “If you don’t score, you need to blame ourselves. We were not nasty or clinical in front of the goal.”

Tyson Fury survived a knockdown and went on to beat Francis Ngannou in a controversial decision on Saturday night, avoiding a major upset. WBC heavyweight champion Fury squared off with Ngannou – a mixed martial artist and ex-UFC champion – in a professional boxing match in Saudi Arabia, with the Cameroonian stunning the Briton in Round 3 with a knockdown, clipping him on the top of the head with a fine left hook. Ngannou, 37, was making his boxing debut yet outfought Fury, 35, for much of the bout, as a stunned audience looked on in Riyadh. However, Fury avoided the first loss of his professional career when he was named a split-decision winner – 94-95, 96-93, 95-94. Ngannou was a massive underdog in the main event in Riyadh but produced a superb performance with immense discipline and aggression, and many figures in the world of boxing declared that the “Predator” had been denied a rightful win. After the fight, Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring to face off with Fury, whom he is contracted to fight next. Ukrainian Usyk, unbeaten like Fury, holds the unified heavyweight boxing titles. The pair have been rumoured to clash in Riyadh on 23 December, though Fury and his promoter Frank Warren played coy after the fight with Ngannou. “That definitely wasn’t in the script,” said Fury. “[Ngannou] is a lot better of a boxer than we thought he’d be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher, and I respect him a lot. He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward; he was waiting for me to throw my punches then looking to counter. “[The knockdown] is a part of boxing. I got caught behind the head. I got up and it was alright; I got back to my boxing. “I don’t know how close [the fight] was, but I got the win and that’s what it is. I’ve been out the ring a long time again. You can see it in here – ring rust, everything. No excuses, though. He’s cut me across the eye there. It was a good, rough fight. Perfect.” Usyk, 36, then said: “Let’s go. I’m going to be fighting him, amazing. It’s a big fight, the whole world wants this fight. We’re back in this ring, 23 December, thank you very much, I go to sleep.” Fury said: “It’s been going on a long time, let’s do the fight – over here, for all the belts, the undisputed title of the world. Listen, it’s not up to me; we’d go now. These guys will sort it out, it’ll be my next fight guaranteed.” But Warren added: “I don’t think the date will be announced just yet. This fight is on. Both fighters want it. Tyson’s got a cut there. We’ll see how it heals. “It’s the biggest fight in boxing. Everybody wants to see it. They’ll see it in Saudi, it’ll break all box-office records.” Read More Fury vs Ngannou prize money: How much are fighters earning tonight? Cristiano Ronaldo ‘punches’ Tyson Fury as pair joke ahead of Francis Ngannou fight David Adeleye sparks outrage after punching referee on Fury v Ngannou undercard Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk confirm date for heavyweight unification fight David Adeleye punches referee on Fury v Ngannou undercard Fury vs Ngannou stream fails as fans left with screeching sound

The parents of Liverpool forward Luis Diaz were kidnapped in Colombia after being stopped by gunmen on motorbikes. Diaz’s mother was rescued but his father remains missing, Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro said. Liverpool have confirmed they are aware of an "ongoing situation involving the family of Luis Diaz" and said the 26-year-old’s “welfare will continue to be our immediate priority”. Colombian authorities have said Diaz’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued by police in the city of Barrancas. The country’s police director said Diaz’s father remains missing but used a video address to say he is using every agent to find him. Diaz’s parents were driving home when they were stopped by the gunmen, the police director said. Meanwhile, Colombia’s football federation released a statement urging authorities to find and rescue Diaz’s father. Liverpool said in a statement on Sunday morning: "Liverpool Football Club can confirm it is aware of an ongoing situation involving the family of Luis Diaz in Colombia. "It is our fervent hope that the matter is resolved safely and at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, the player’s welfare will continue to be our immediate priority." Liverpool host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this afternoon. Read More Build from the front? Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are repeating an old trick Sam Cane red card: Why was All Blacks captain sent off against Springboks? Fear, loathing and the Glazers: the battle for Manchester United’s soul

Sam Cane became the first player to be sent off in a men’s Rugby World Cup final after seeing his yellow card upgraded to a red following a review from the TMO bunker during the New Zealand v South Africa match in the Rugby World Cup final. In the first half of the Stade de France showpiece, the All Blacks captain’s shoulder connected with the head of Jesse Kriel. Referee Wayne Barnes initially sent the captain to the sin-bin but, using the bunker system, that was upgraded to a red card soon after. The foul play review officer ruled that it was a shoulder direct to head with significant force and not enough mitigation to remain a yellow card. After the review was complete, Barnes called over stand-in skipper Ardie Savea to deliver the bad news for the All Blacks. He responded in shock: "to red!?" Cane was then seen in agony after learning his fate on the touchline, closing his eyes and rocking back on his chair. Reacting to the decision at half-time, Ireland legend Brian O'Driscoll was adamant Cane deserved the red card, telling ITV Sport: "Any effective tackle is a hinge at the hips, Sam Cane can have no complaints, there's no late dip, he has a clear line of sight, it's considerable force to the head and a very, very clear red card." While All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick reluctantly agreed: "In real time, it's a red card, we have to get on with it." But what are the laws around head contact and high tackles that referees are following and how do they decide on the punishment? Here’s everything you need to know: What are World Rugby’s laws on head contact? Head-on-head contact in the tackle comes under Law 9 of the Laws of Rugby Union, which covers foul play. Law 9.11 dictates “Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others, including leading with the elbow or forearm, or jumping into, or over, a tackler” and Law 9.13 goes on to say “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.” If a player breaks these laws and the act is deemed to be reckless or dangerous, then the referee is entitled to issue a yellow or red card. World Rugby also clarify the intent of the laws, stating in their guidelines that: “ Player welfare drives World Rugby’s decision making for zero tolerance of foul play, especially where head contact occurs. The focus must be on the actions of those involved, not the injury – the need for an HIA [a Head Injury Assessment] does not necessarily mean that there has been illegal head contact.” What are the punishments for head-on-head contact? Ok, this is where things get technical and debates start to occur. In March 2023, World Rugby issued their latest ‘head contact process law application guidelines’ to guide referees on whether foul play has occurred and how it should be punished. The referee has to go through a four-step process (detailed below) to determine the extent of the foul play and the sanction. The four steps are: Has head contact occurred? Was there any foul play? What was the degree of danger? Is there any mitigation? Step 1 (has head contact occurred?) is relatively straightforward, with head contact including the head and the face as well as the neck and throat area. If any head contact is made at all, we move on to Step 2. Step 2 (was there foul play?) is a touch more complex. The referees are told to consider whether the head contact was either intentional, reckless or avoidable – e.g. the defender is always upright. If it was, the tackler will be penalised and they move on to Step 3. However, if the head contact was deemed not to be foul play, the game continues. Step 3 (what was the degree of danger?) – judged from high to low – determines the initial punishment. A degree of high danger is judged on any of: direct contact rather than indirect, a high-force impact, a lack of control from the tackler, the incident occurring at high speed, the tackler leading with the head/shoulder/elbow/forearm or the tackle being reckless. If the referee judges there to be a high degree of danger, a red card will be shown. Meanwhile, low danger is judged as indirect contact, low force, low speed or no leading head/shoulder/forearm/swinging arm and a yellow card or even just a penalty to the opposition may be awarded. The final step, Step 4 (is there any mitigation?) determines whether the punishment can be reduced by one grade (i.e red card down to yellow card or yellow card down to just a penalty). Mitigation includes a sudden or significant drop in height or change in direction from ball carrier, a late change in dynamics due to another player in the contact area, a clear effort from the tackler to reduce their height or the tackler having no time to adjust. However, mitigation will never apply for intentional or always-illegal acts of foul play. What about the Foul Play Review Officer/Bunker review? Introduced for this World Cup was the Bunker review system. This allows the referee to issue a yellow card to a player, sending them to the sin-bin while play goes on, where a Foul Play Review Official (FPRO) will then take another look at the incident and determine if the yellow card should be upgraded to red, allowing the game to continue rather than a long stoppage to debate this. This is what happened to Curry against Argentina. The referee crosses their arms to indicate a Bunker review will take place. Once a player is in the sin-bin, the FPRO has up to eight minutes to review the decision and decide if it warrants upgrading to a red card. If not, the player will return to the field after their 10 minutes in the sin-bin has elapsed. Read More South Africa become kings of rugby with dramatic World Cup win over greatest rivals Sam Cane, Siya Kolisi and a tale of two captains at the heart of this Rugby World Cup final New Zealand captain Sam Cane opens up on Rugby World Cup ‘heartbreak’ after red card in final New Zealand v South Africa LIVE: Rugby World Cup final score updates as Springboks lead 14-man All Blacks South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi suffers Rugby World Cup final heartbreak with injury South Africa vs New Zealand: Who is the referee for the Rugby World Cup final?

Tyson Fury has vowed to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the chance to become the undisputed king of heavyweight boxing as the Ukrainian confirmed their meeting on 23 December in Saudi Arabia. Usyk was ringside for Fury’s unconvincing split-decision victory over ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh on Saturday night. MMA star Ngannou shockingly went the distance in his boxing debut, even knocking down reigning WBC heavyweight champion Fury at one point, but Fury remained undefeated. Two judges gave Fury the fight by scores of 96-93 and 95-94, and the other judge favoured Ngannou 95-94. Fury’s championship belt was never on the line in this bout, though it counts as an official fight. Good thing for Fury, because Ngannou showed early in the scheduled 10-round fight that he wasn’t going anywhere. Afterwards Usyk, who owns the other three global heavyweight belts, turned attention to their showdown, saying: “It’s a big fight. The whole world wants this fight. We’re back in this ring, 23 December, thank you very much, I go to sleep.” Fury said: “It’s been going on a long time, let’s do the fight, over here, for all the belts, the undisputed title of the world. Listen, it’s not up to me, we’d go now. These guys will sort it out, it’ll be my next fight guaranteed.” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said: “I don’t think the date will be announced just yet. This fight is on. Both fighters want it. Tyson’s got a cut there. We’ll see how it heals. It’s the biggest fight in boxing. Everybody wants to see it. They’ll see it in Saudi, it’ll break all box office records.” Fury had previously criticised the timing of an initial announcement of his fight with Usyk, which came out during his preparations for Ngannou. “It wasn’t my choice,” the Briton, 35, said on The MMA Hour on Wednesday 25 October. “I would never in a million years do that, but the people who are putting these fights on, who are paying the money, they’re in control. They’re the promoters of the event. “So, the paymaster does what the paymaster wants, basically. But if it was up to me, I would have never, ever, ever done that, ever. Because I never count chickens before they hatch, ever [...] They should never announce fights before the first one happens, because that’s how people get knocked out. “But I’m not even looking at the next fight. I’m only concentrating on Francis. If it means breaking these two hands and getting a cut right through [my eyebrow] to win, I will do it. Don’t worry about that. Nothing else matters, only Saturday night. “I wasn’t happy at first, for them to announce it, but there was a lot going on in the background. For me, I don’t concentrate on any other fight other than Saturday night. What happens in the future stays in the future. “I’m living for today and this moment. My moment now is to fight Francis for the ‘baddest man on the planet’ title, and when I’ve won that, only after I’ve won that, I won’t even think about my next [fight] until I’ve had a week off and spent some time with my family. I’ve been in camp 12 weeks.” Read More Tyson Fury survives knockdown to beat Francis Ngannou by controversial decision David Adeleye punches referee on Fury v Ngannou undercard Fury vs Ngannou stream fails as fans left with screeching sound Amir Khan gifts Eminem luxury watch before clashing with fan over gesture Cristiano Ronaldo ‘punches’ Tyson Fury as pair joke ahead of Francis Ngannou fight How much money are Fury and Ngannou earning for fight tonight?

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