List of All Articles with Tag 'pg'

Celtic fans held Palestine flags aloft ahead of their Uefa Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. The build-up to the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw despite the hosts taking the lead twice, had been dominated by internal and external strife. Thousands of Celtic fans defied the club’s guidance before kick-off by displaying Palestine flags, an act which is likely to lead to sanctions from Uefa, who has previously applied disciplinary action against the Scottish giants, including a £8,600 fine in 2016 for displaying Palestine flags in a game against Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva. Uefa’s Rule 16.2 states that club's are responsible for fan behaviour and disciplinary procedures may occur if a political message is displayed, with Barcelona and Celtic previously fined for showing national flags that Uefa deemed to have sent a political message. Atletico’s decision to dispense with their striped shirts and wear an all-red top based on the one worn by the team that beat Celtic in the 1974 European Cup semi-finals also opened old wounds. The Green Brigade, an ultra supporter group at Celtic Park, had previously said they would hand out flags ahead of the match, and the group has already been banned from away games after displaying the same flags at other recent matches, the BBC has reported. The flags were also waved in other areas of the stadium not occupied by the Green Brigade. Ahead of the fixture, the club announced the players and staff would wear black armbands as a show of respect for all those affected by the conflict and would make a contribution to the red cross. But the club also asked that “banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict and those countries involved in it are not displayed at Celtic Park at this time.” The Green Brigade believes football fans have the right to express political beliefs. Celtic fans have previously shown their support for Palestine, and in 2014 the club was fined after fans waved flags during a match against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik, and again during a 2016 qualifier against an Israeli team. The Scottish club could also face being fined by Uefa for their actions on Wednesday night. Celtic have an Israel winger, Liel Abada, who is currently out of the matchday squads with injury, but it adds another dimension to the actions of the fans. The Independent has contacted Uefa for comment Additional reporting from PA

Tyson Fury has admitted that he ‘wasn’t happy’ about the announcement of his fight with Oleksandr Usyk, as he prepares for a bout with Francis Ngannou on Saturday. It was announced in September that Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight title, will box Usyk, who is unified champion, in Saudi Arabia before the end of March. However, Fury is first set to fight former UFC champion Ngannou in Riyadh this weekend, in a controversial crossover contest – in which the WBC belt is not on the line. Fury is targeting a date of 23 December for his bout with Usyk, but his excitement around the fight has been diluted by some aggravation at the timing of its announcement, he suggested. “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.” Fury is unbeaten across 34 fights in his professional career, while 37-year-old Ngannou is making his boxing debut. Usyk, 36, is also unbeaten, but to face the stiffer test that the Ukrainian provides on paper, Fury must avoid an upset against Ngannou. “You can’t listen to the betting odds, you can’t listen to what the pundits say, or what the boxing people or anybody [says], because they’re not in there on the night,” Fury said. “And if you start listening to people who are not boxing, then that’s the time you fail. I don’t take anybody lightly. I’ve seen so many times in the sport where people fight people they’re supposed to beat, and they’re always looking at the bigger picture. “I’ll use Anthony Joshua as an example. There was always talk of him fighting me or [Deontay] Wilder. He fights Andy Ruiz on two weeks’ notice, and he ends up getting knocked out. The odds going in were astronomical, everybody thought he was going to smoke the guy – all the boxing experts, all the pundits, all the media, everybody – and what happens? He gets knocked spark out. Then he goes home crying in defeat.” Joshua was in fact stopped on his feet, after suffering four knockdowns, in that 2019 defeat, which he avenged six months later. “I never, ever do that,” Fury added. “If I was fighting somebody in a local bar, and I knew I had to fight the guy in six weeks – a guy not even from a combat sport – I would train hard, because you never know what the guy is going to bring. Never mind someone from a bar, I’m fighting an absolute killer in Francis Ngannou. A 6f 4in, 270-280lbs [man] who has come from the streets. “This guy is hungry. This guy has got a point to prove. You think I’m not going to train for him, and come in at 400lbs? I don’t think so. I’ve trained as hard for him as I did for any other fighter I’ve ever fought. At this level, you don’t get no second chances. Better to prepare for the hardest fight ever and it not be, than to prepare for an easy fight and it’s a war.” Fury last fought in December, stopping Derek Chisora to seal a third win against his compatriot and retain the WBC belt. Meanwhile, Ngannou last fought in January 2022, retaining the UFC heavyweight title with a decision against Ciryl Gane. The Cameroonian then underwent knee surgery before relinquishing the UFC title this January, when he left the MMA promotion. He is due to return to mixed martial arts in 2024, having signed for the Professional Fighters League. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Tyson Fury ‘unhappy’ with Oleksandr Usyk fight announcement Tyson Fury makes bold prediction for boxing bout with UFC fighter Francis Ngannou Tyson Fury reveals December date for Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight Deontay Wilder calls out Anthony Joshua with update over super-fight What Francis Ngannou must do to beat Tyson Fury: ‘Uncork those big shots’ Francis Ngannou drops hint over Tyson Fury rematch and Anthony Joshua fight

If nothing else, Darwin Nunez found a novel way to create a goal. On a night where goals arrived in copious quantities at Anfield, there were two extraordinary misses. And if the Toulouse left-back Gabriel Suazo had seemed to perform an unexpected impression of Nunez, failing to score when confronted by a goal that lacked a goalkeeper, there was a certain, perverse inevitability in the Uruguayan upstaging him. It seemed another of the moments that are Nunez in a nutshell, his threat and his profligacy in the space of seconds. A lovely, deft touch to take him past a defender, the pace to burst past goalkeeper Guillaume Restes and then, with an open goal, the shot that hit the post. All was well that ended well, for Nunez and Liverpool: as he wreaked havoc, they struck anyway. Ryan Gravenberch latched on to the rebound, showed greater composure and beat Restes to score his side’s fourth goal of the night. Exit Nunez, substituted with Anfield chorusing his name. He was already on the scoresheet, with a rasping, rising shot, struck with both ferocity and an unerring accuracy some of his other efforts lack. He had been denied, too, by Restes, after a lovely, dainty piece of footwork. Full of forceful running and defence-stretching pace, it amounted to a curiosity of a performance, and yet an entirely typical one. It was a year to the day since he had missed a sitter and scored in a Champions League game against Ajax. The competition and the opposition changed but, 365 days on, some things stayed the same. But if Darwin was Darwin, the excellent and the erratic, the beneficiary of his wastefulness was the game’s outstanding performer. The Europa League can have fringe benefits for clubs such as Liverpool and, after Gravenberch’s arrival in the last couple of hours of the transfer window, it has offered him a chance to both integrate and impress. The Dutchman’s first assist for Liverpool came in Austria against Linz, his first goal in the home win over Union Saint-Gilloise. His second came against Toulouse. As Jurgen Klopp’s side completed a hat-trick of victories, his fourth summer signing made it three fine displays in continental competition. If, at times, this felt a bit too easy for Liverpool, it enabled Gravenberch to illustrate his ability. He is a rangy runner, his legs appearing telescopic as he seemed to extend them to keep the ball under control and confound opponents. One solo run, a meandering affair that took him past several defenders, culminated in a sharp turn and shot that Restes had to claw away. Another led, albeit indirectly, to Nunez’s goal. Factor in a willingness to get into the box and a habit of shooting from distance and the temptation was to suggest that Gravenberch may not be seen in the Europa League until spring. He could be starting in the Premier League instead. As Klopp made eight changes, Liverpool displayed a strength in depth that should equip them to progress deep into this competition. Mohamed Salah’s determination to play is such that he got a late outing anyway, capped with a glorious goal, hammered in off the underside of the bar to have Klopp clapping. But it is often a moot point if Diogo Jota ranks in the strongest side; at times he does and at others he does not. A fourth goal in six games was both a spectacular solo run and yet too easy. Jota ran through the heart of the Toulouse team, beating two defenders with a sharp turn, nutmegging a third and slotting a shot past Restes. There is no doubt, though, that Wataru Endo belongs in the ranks of the understudies. The Japanese has made a solitary league start, at Newcastle almost two months ago; in the glee of victory, Klopp admitted Endo did not have, in his words, “a clue” what they were doing and if he may have been referring to the reshuffle after they were reduced to 10 men, the Japanese has been confined to the midweek team since then. He had the reward of a first Liverpool goal, steering a header past a motionless Restes when he met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s chipped cross. Liverpool could, and perhaps should, have scored more goals but their clean sheets are rarities. They conceded one and their goalkeeper was fortunate it was not more. Toulouse had levelled when Thijs Dallinga, the top scorer in the Coupe de France last season, latched on to Aron Donnum’s pass, sprinted clear from the half-way line and drilled a shot past Caoimhin Kelleher. The goalkeeper was culpable, though, in a game of entertainment, some fashioned by excellence, a bit by ineptitude. After Kelleher presented Toulouse with the ball and was in no position to save, Suazo seemed certain to score. The Chilean left-back instead drilled the ball straight at Alexander-Arnold, who had retreated to the line to make a brilliant block. But Suazo did not have Nunez’s fortune: there was no teammate following up to score. And Liverpool’s superiority meant it was hard to frame it as the decisive moment: more goals were always on their agenda. Toulouse have scarcely been a case of nominative determinism, showing a greater propensity to draw thus far this season, and this was their first defeat of the campaign in Europe. But another loss in the rematch in two weeks’ time would mean Liverpool win the group with two games to go. Read More Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse Van Dijk holds key to trophy hopes - is he still the best centre-back around? Is Liverpool vs Toulouse on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Europa League Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami Hyypia Ashley Young’s costly mistakes gift Liverpool Merseyside derby spoils Sean Dyche hits out at referee over ‘bizarre’ decision in loss to Liverpool

On Saturday night, two fighters who embody the word heavyweight – every sense of it – will clash in Saudi Arabia. In one corner will be the reigning WBC champion, one of the biggest names in boxing, Tyson Fury. In the other will be the former UFC champion, a man deemed the hardest hitter in combat-sports history, Francis Ngannou. This crossover bout has its detractors yet still holds an air of intrigue, all based on the ‘what if’: What if Ngannou can land on Fury? What if one of those monstrous hands touches the Briton’s chin with the velocity and malicious intent that have come to define Ngannou’s fighting career, and which carried the Cameroonian to the UFC heavyweight title? For all his evasive guile, Fury, 35, has been put down numerous times, but he has never been beaten – not even by fighters with much greater boxing pedigree than the 37-year-old Ngannou. The experiential gap understandably has most viewers doubting Ngannou’s chances in Riyadh, where he faces Fury in a proper, professional boxing match; but what if? And if Ngannou is to win, how will he? Attacking Fury to the body? Battering him in the clinch? Backing him into a corner? Alex Pattle asked former two-weight world-champion boxer Carl Frampton, and Dan Hardy, an ex-UFC title challenger who now works with the Professional Fighters League – the MMA promotion where Ngannou will fight in 2024. Here’s what they had to say... AP: What was your initial reaction to the fight being announced? DH: “I was shocked. I expected Ngannou to have another fight before Tyson Fury, but I think it’s the wise thing to do to step straight in and keep the element of surprise on your side. If he’d have gone in there and fought someone else, Tyson would’ve been able to get reads before the fight even started. Jumping in at the deep end, even though it’s a bit crazy, increases his chances of winning. That was my first thought: It’s a surprise that it’s happening, but relief that Ngannou is getting it on his first shot.” CF: “Initially I was disappointed, and that’s kind of taming it down a bit. Obviously we were hoping for Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and that fell through, but now I’ve come round to the idea that this is a huge event. And we’ve got Fury vs Usyk off the back of it. I was always hopeful that fight would come about at some point, and I don’t wanna be talking as if Ngannou is gonna be a complete walkover for Fury, but I’m okay about it [because] the Fury vs Usyk fight has been made for some point in the future. Also, the money the guys are making with this event...” AP: Do fans need to be more understanding of fighters taking ‘money fights’? CF: “Maybe a little bit. Boxing fans in particular are very opinionated, and I understand that they’re frustrated. But if you’re Tyson Fury and someone’s offering you a fight of this magnitude against a boxing debutant, and there are talks of $30m – and $10m for Ngannou – how do you turn that down? It’s almost too good to be true.” DH: “I think it's a bit different for MMA fans, because we’re still in new ground; the changes that Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor made in fighters’ purses and expectations for purses... as a matchmaker, I’m still dealing with the repercussions of that! Fighters want ridiculous amounts of money, but the money is out there to be made by certain superstars. I honestly think it’s easier for a layman fan to understand why fighters would take these fights, because they focus so much more on the money. I think it’s more the purists who go, ‘I’m not interested in these fights!’ [To the layman], the money and pay-per-view buys almost represent the value of the fighter; to the purists, the value of the fighter is based on their technical ability and achievements.” CF: “I hate to use the term ‘casual fan’, but there’s a big difference between the purists and just the casual fan. I think you’ll win back [the purists] with Fury vs Usyk, but it’s all a bit trivial almost, because [most] fans are fickle. I’m expecting Fury to beat Ngannou and then fight Usyk, and it’ll almost be like the talk and criticism of the Ngannou fight will go away.” AP: Do crossover events like Tommy Fury vs KSI and Logan Paul vs Dillon Danis risk putting fans off fights like Fury vs Ngannou? DH: “I personally think it’s all on the same spectrum – just at different points on the spectrum. That Misfits Boxing card... I’ll be honest, I was able to make peace with that whole genre of combat sports much easier after that event, because it’s more like pro wrestling. The audience there, they’re not gonna buy a ticket to see ‘Canelo’ Alvarez; they’re not there for that, they’re there for the drama – for the security getting involved, for the plexiglass cages they put them in at the face-offs. It’s theatre with a combat-sports flavour.” AP: What is Ngannou’s chance of winning – as a percentage – in your opinion? CF: “There’s a lot of boxers who are almost anti-MMA, and I’m not. I understand what this is: I understand that Fury is a lifelong boxer, fighting a guy who’s had to perfect many different styles in MMA, so in that sense Ngnannou doesn’t have much of a chance. But to say that he has zero chance, I think, would be very, very wrong – because he’s a big, athletic man who can punch hard. He has a chance, but it’s very small. I hope I’m not being disrespectful to Francis; if you flip it on its head and do it in a cage, then it’s the same odds but reversed [in his favour]. It’s just, when you try to rationalise it, it’s his boxing debut – and it’s against maybe the best heavyweight boxer on the planet.” DH: “We’re definitely in single digits when it comes to percentages, but it’s the ‘what if’ that we’re tuning in for, right? Even if it’s a 0.1 per cent chance that Ngannou is gonna land that shot, we’re all gonna sit and watch in case that happens. If it does, then he’s got the power to knock Fury out. The reason I feel this is an intriguing fight is because... if you look at Ngannou against the likes of Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who’s got over 80 kickboxing matches and moves with very traditional patterns, Rozenstruik was taken out very, very quickly – and ferociously – because Ngannou flew at him, coming from all kinds of different angles. You just can’t predict those things. “Against Deontay Wilder, Fury was dealing with someone who’s got ferocious punching power but who’s got some basic fundamentals that make him a little bit predictable. If Ngannou starts patient and then starts winging those big shots from weird angles, which Tyson’s probably not anticipating, that elevates his chances – but they’re still incredibly slim." CF: “That’s the thing. High-end boxers often talk about when they spar novice guys, it’s all really unorthodox; they’re not taught to defend against shots that are coming from [certain angles], and it can be a bit awkward at times.” AP: We know that Ngannou needs to knock out Fury to win. But how does he knock out Fury? DH: “If I was trying to solve this problem for Ngannou, I’d say: We’re working with 90-degree corners in a boxing ring, so that’s something I’d like to work towards. It’s gonna be difficult to back Tyson up, of course, and he’s very good at standing on his back foot and making his head feel like it’s a long way away. So, Ngannou has to work to the body and vary his target to potentially bring Fury’s hands down. Ngannou has thunderous punching, so if he lands to the ribs, he might open up an opportunity. If he’s just head-hunting, it’s not gonna happen. Play a little bit of boxing, but when it comes to uncorking those big shots, really commit to them. And ideally put Tyson in a corner, up against the ropes.” CF: “With Ngannou’s MMA background and knowledge of wrestling and grappling, he will have success when they’re in really close quarters and Tyson’s trying to hold on. This might be something that Tyson’s never experienced before, where someone can get out of a clinch rather easily and land a shot. Ngannou can’t stand off and outbox Tyson, that’s not gonna happen.” AP: Ngannou last fought in MMA in January 2022 and has largely been in boxing training since. What kind of MMA fighter will he be when he makes his PFL debut in 2024? DH: “I think we’re gonna see improvements in his footwork and his fundamental boxing. I think that’ll be a byproduct of him doing all these rounds on the pads with Mike Tyson, Dewey Cooper and others. But I don’t think he’s necessarily going to neglect his grappling game, because it was never really the prominent skillset for him anyway. I think he’ll return to working on those things when necessary, because everyone who fights Francis knows that they need to take him down – you don’t wanna be dealing with that power. He knows that whoever he’s fighting is most likely gonna be the one to force the grappling exchanges. Then it’s about who the opponent is gonna be. $2m is a lot of money in MMA, even if you have to fight Francis for it!” Fury v Ngannou will be exclusively live from Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia on TNT Sports Box Office, Saturday 28 October. For more info: tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice Read More Tyson Fury ‘unhappy’ with Oleksandr Usyk fight announcement Tyson Fury reveals December date for Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight Deontay Wilder calls out Anthony Joshua with update over super-fight Francis Ngannou drops hint over Tyson Fury rematch and Anthony Joshua fight How much money are Fury and Ngannou earning for fight this weekend? How many rounds is Fury vs Ngannou and do knockouts count?

Cemex SAB’s shares rose as sales beat estimates, even as the company reported a steep drop in profits.

Everton’s takeover by the American investment firm 777 Partners remains on course, despite the possibility of a points deduction that could put the Merseyside club at greater threat of relegation. The Premier League are reportedly pushing for Everton to be deducted 12 points during an investigation into possible breaches of financial regulations but 777 are adamant they still want to proceed with plans to complete a buyout. Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has signed a deal with 777 Partners, who have invested in a range of clubs including Genoa, Sevilla and Hertha Berlin. Everton were accused of breaking Financial Fair Play rules, which are supposed to limit clubs to a total loss of £105m over a three-year period. But Everton announced losses £44.7m in 2022, £121.3m in 2021, £139.9m in 2020, £111.8m in 2019 and £13.1m in 2018. The Premier League charged them in March though Everton have insisted they have complied with the regulations and their additional losses stem involve allowances clubs were permitted when Covid meant grounds were empty. Everton disclosed all scenarios with 777 during talks and financial due diligence and the potential outcome was priced in to the structure of the deal. A 12-point deduction would leave Everton, who only just avoided relegation in the last two seasons, on minus five. Other potential punishments, if Everton are found guilty, could include a transfer ban or a fine, which West Ham were given for the third-party ownership of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano in 2007. Read More Everton face ‘12-point deduction’ over alleged financial breaches Everton boss Sean Dyche pays tribute to ‘amazing servant’ Bill Kenwright Bill Kenwright: Theatre producer who went from terraces to boardroom at Everton

Liverpool will be looking to maintain their perfect start to the Europa League campaign with a third successive victory in the competition against Toulouse. Jurgen Klopp’s side have won both their matches so far in the competition and will have had sufficient time to recover for the fixture from their 2-0 win over Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday. With another home match coming on Sunday against Nottingham Forest, Klopp may decide to rotate his players across the two fixtures. Toulouse are unbeaten in the group, having lost one and won one from their opening two games. Here’s everything you need to know about the fixture: When is Liverpool vs Toulouse? The match will take place on Thursday October 26 at 8 pm BST (9pm CEST) How can I watch it? Liverpool vs Toulouse will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 streamed live through the Discovery + app with coverage starting at 7.45 pm. Team news Cody Gakpo is set to return after injuring his knee in the defeat to Tottenham but Andy Robertson could be out until the new year after undergoing surgery. Kostas Tsmikas is expected to continue in his place.Ibrahima Kounate returned to the starting XI against Everton, but he has only just returned from injury and Klopp might not want to risk him twice in less than a week. Predicted Liverpool line up: Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Elliott, Endo, Gravenberch, Diaz, Jota, Nunez Odds Liverpool 1/6 Draw 13/2 Toulouse 11/1 Prediction Liverpool might concede early as they have done a few times this season, but will have enough to overcome the Ligue 1 side. Liverpool to win 3-1. Read More Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse Van Dijk holds key to trophy hopes - is he still the best centre-back around? Everton boss Sean Dyche pays tribute to ‘amazing servant’ Bill Kenwright Build from the front? Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are repeating an old trick Jurgen Klopp knows Liverpool must shoulder the burden of Andy Robertson’s injury

Mauricio Pochettino will have final say on Chelsea transfers as the club hone a more collaborative approach going forward. While there are set to be more signings in January despite a £1bn-plus outlay over the last three windows, the aim is to be far more targeted in the new year. The club's much-discussed American owners felt a total overhaul of the squad was due on arriving, as they sought to reshape it to have a much younger and leaner profile. That create a bloated group for a period of time that sometimes felt too large for the dressing room, but the feeling is that gradual trading has left them closer to an ideal profile. The target now is to fill any remaining positional gaps or depth to the team, so as to maximise Pochettino's tactics. It is within that process that the Argentine will have a final say on any purchases, after a collaborative process with the recruitment team, which includes co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart and co-director of recruitment and talent Joe Shields. The model is described as more like Manchester City's, where the manager will identify the type of tactical profile he needs, then the staff come up with suitable names, and the manager then decides on who to go for. Chelsea are expected to be one of the clubs that go for Brentford's Ivan Toney in the window, as a number nine would still be preferred, with Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja yet to fully convince as a long-term option. Although there is still a sense of seeing how the squad settles after one more international window. Chelsea enjoyed one of their brightest performances yet under Pochettino in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, with Brentford visiting Stamford Bridge this weekend as the Blues look to rebuild after a slow start to the season. Read More Gary O’Neil unpacks Wolves secrets on MNF to show the future of football punditry Mikel Arteta showing he is ‘one of best in world’, says Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and the ‘love’ at the heart of a fractious rivalry

There’s a new look about a key area of the team for Liverpool, a changing of the guard enforced by recent events, a previous zone of consistency now faced with uncertainty. No, we’re not talking about midfield - that particular switch-up already looks a definite upgrade, even early as it is for such conclusions. Instead it’s at left-back the unexpected alteration has occurred, a consequence of Andy Robertson’s need for surgery which means the Scot is out for the rest of the year. Having averaged over 44 appearances a season for the Reds since signing in 2017, he’ll now miss at least 17 matches, if best estimates of his return are to be believed. That leaves not just a gap for Kostas Tsimikas or an untested youngster to fill tactically, but a void which cannot be accounted for: that of a partnership, of understanding, of the natural, unthinking knowing which comes with playing hundreds of matches alongside a teammate. It can be argued that such a changeable nature can be applied not just to the midfield, not even just to left-back, but to the entire defensive structure this term at Anfield: injuries have already hit on the right and centrally too, to go along with the altered personnel ahead of them in the middle third of the pitch. All that simply means one truth must be constant if the Reds are to translate early season promise into longer-term capacity to challenge for major honours: Virgil van Dijk must once again prove himself to be among the very best, not just individually as a defender but as a force to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. There cannot be much debate that the Dutchman, now club captain at Anfield, has not quite reached the same levels of authoritative performances as he did pre-ACL injury, or at least not on as regular a basis. The period which saw Liverpool win both Premier League and Champions League saw Van Dijk at the pinnacle of the game, a central defender without peer, a worthy recipient of the Ballon d’Or itself, had he been handed it instead of a runner-up spot, pipped by seven votes in 2019 by Lionel Messi. Perhaps that in itself was a noteworthy award. In any case, he’s not quite there these days, not quite the automatic choice among fan or pundit asked to name the world’s finest. It’s arguable that there isn’t a single stand-out candidate right now for that particularly subjective title. But in asking whether Van Dijk is capable of being the world’s best defender again, part of the answer has to be that it doesn’t really matter. He might want to be of course, might already believe he is, but from a team perspective what they really need is Van Dijk’s ability to stabilise the team, to foresee and forestall danger, to order those around him to bring forth resilience from chaos. Because chaotic is, still, a little too close to the truth when it comes to spells of defending for Liverpool. The midfield is far more creative, far more offensive and energetic, far less reliant on Trent Alexander-Arnold always being at his best. But all that comes at a cost: it’s not always the most agile and defensive-first in either recovery or positional terms. It’s still new as a group, still needs time to become as cohesive as the best central trios are, on and off the ball. And in the meantime, the result can often be large gaps, lost runners, moments of inexplicable choices in possession. That leaves a hefty weight on the defence to counteract such moments - the defence and, of course, the still-magnificent Alisson Becker behind them. But before that one-man last line, it’s Van Dijk who must rise once more to ensure unity, if not always outright unison. Acting in perfect harmony is difficult enough with four constant selections; as it is this season, Jurgen Klopp has already utilised Jarell Quansah as a fifth-choice, following injuries. Alexander-Arnold missed pitch time and is not yet back to his peak physical or technical best. Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip have dovetailed, and now there’s Tsimikas present on a more regular basis - which also means either Joe Gomez will see minutes on the left, or an untried youngster will, with Calum Scanlon and Luke Chambers first in line. They presently tally one senior minute between them. They will all four need guiding for different reasons, all need time, all occasionally get things wrong and need the left-sided centre-back beside them to bail them out. No prizes for guessing who that is on a week-to-week basis. Because for Liverpool, there are prizes at stake. Three points off the top of the Premier League table after a fine opening quarter of the campaign; rolling along nicely in Europe and domestic cups alike. Between now and the next international break, the opportunities for victory across all competitions are as immense as the potential cost of dropped points: Toulouse twice, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Luton, Brentford. A modern title-competing team would take six wins with very little fuss, in truth. Then, beyond, it’s Manchester City away. The most true barometer of where Liverpool are this season, even coming after an international break and in the infamous 12:30pm kick-off spot. The margin for error remains almost nil, but with the reigning champions perhaps not quite at their own peak yet, and Klopp’s side having improved more than might have been thought possible at this early stage, thoughts of a title challenge will not be far away - if the defence is kept on-point, even with altered personnel. It all means Van Dijk must be as close to his own 100 percent as possible, even if his 2023/24 maximum level is a little lower than in 19/20. As far as transformative figures go, Van Dijk was one after signing. He, as much as anyone else and more than most, sent Liverpool from challengers to champions, in every competition across the board. Now once again he must be the leader - literally, given the armband - who enables the Reds to do so, not so much the new figurehead this time but as the standard-bearer, the supplier of consistency, the model of outperformance which can give Liverpool the extra edge they’ll need, both in the Premier League and beyond. Read More Build from the front? Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are repeating an old trick England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do? Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami Hyypia Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami Hyypia Virgil van Dijk: Liverpool finally had some luck go our way against Everton Euro 2024 qualifying – who has reached Germany and who still has work to do?

This weekend, Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou will meet in one of the biggest but most controversial fights of the year. Fury has not fought since December, when he retained his WBC heavyweight title, and there is still no date for his planned clash with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk – although it is finally signed. In the meantime, the Briton will face Ngannou, a former UFC champion who is making his boxing debut here. Ngannou left the UFC in January, relinquishing the promotion’s heavyweight title in the process, and he will make his debut with the Professional Fighters League in 2024. First, though, the Cameroonian crosses into boxing for the biggest payday of his career. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? The fight will take place on Saturday 28 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card is expected to start at 6pm BST (10am PT, 12pm CT, 1pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10.45pm BST (2.45pm PT, 4.45pm CT, 5.45pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on TNT Sports Box Office at a cost of £21.95 for viewers in the UK. In Ireland, the event will cost €29.99 if purchased in advance or €34.99 on the day of the fights. Viewers do not need to have a TNT subscription in order to purchase the event. In the US, the event will stream live on ESPN+ pay-per-view, and outside of the afore-mentioned countries and Canada the card will be purchasable on Dazn PPV. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Fury – 1/14 Ngannou – 15/2 Draw – 28/1 Via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers What are the rules? This will be a heavyweight boxing match, with no MMA rules involved. The fight is scheduled for 10 three-minute rounds, with a victor being decided on points or via knockout/TKO. The result is expected to count towards Fury’s professional boxing record – which is 33-0-1, and Ngannou’s, which is 0-0 – but the Briton’s WBC title will not be on the line. What is the prize money? Fury has said, via the Mirror, that Ngannou will be earning $10m for the fight. Meanwhile, Derek Chisora has claimed, via The Sun, that Fury will be making $50m. That is not believed to factor in sponsorships. Full card (subject to change) Fabio Wardley vs David Adeleye (heavyweight) Joseph Parker vs Simon Kean (heavyweight) Martin Bakole vs Carlos Takam (heavyweight) Arslanbek Makhmudov vs Junior Anthony Wright (heavyweight) Moses Itauma vs Istvan Bernath (heavyweight) Jack McGann vs Alcibiade Duran (super-welterweight) Read More Tyson Fury reveals December date for Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight Deontay Wilder calls out Anthony Joshua with update over superfight Francis Ngannou drops hint over Tyson Fury rematch and Anthony Joshua fight How much money are Fury and Ngannou earning for fight this weekend? How many rounds is Fury vs Ngannou and do knockouts count? Who is fighting on the Fury vs Ngannou undercard this weekend?

The Champions League has seen Newcastle at its finest, complete with the surreal vision of Sean Longstaff upstaging Kylian Mbappe. There is a temptation to imagine Dan Burn is still somewhere in the Tyneside sky, soaring above Milan Skriniar to head in against Paris Saint-Germain. There is a similar temptation to say that Newcastle were brought down to earth by Borussia Dortmund. It may be more accurate to say Eddie Howe never left it. He met one of his most celebrated predecessors, Kevin Keegan, on Monday. The former Magpies boss was a dreamer. “You have to be,” said Howe, with Keegan’s example leading him to entertain the prospect of winning the Champions League. But Howe isn’t a dreamer, not really, anyway. A day, a defeat and a downpour later, he reflected: “We have to be at our best to win and if you dip below that it is tough to get results at this level.” And in this pool, the most competitive of all, Newcastle have to be at their best to claim victory in a match, let alone the entire competition. They were against Paris Saint-Germain; they were not against Dortmund. At a stroke – the right boot of Felix Nmecha, replacing Jude Bellingham this season, or of bad luck, as Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon both struck the woodwork – they may have been rebranded: potential winners, the team who tore PSG apart, could instead exit early. They now have successive away games, with the evidence that Dortmund are well equipped to play against them ahead of a trip to Germany next. “We're up against elite teams,” Howe said. “You make half a mistake and get punished.” If there is a truth to that – and Nmecha’s winner was scarcely the consequence of a glaring error – the greater issue was that Newcastle did not reach their heights. “We probably weren’t at our best and in this competition we have to be.” Howe said. They have days when they overwhelm opponents: 4-1 against PSG, 6-1 against Tottenham. But their quality is most evident when allied with a blur of energy. And when there isn’t that synergy of physical and technical that makes them appear unstoppable, they are a fundamentally workmanlike side who betray their origins. Which, as they spent much of a 1-0 loss to Dortmund with six players on the pitch who Howe inherited, is a group who have overachieved: look beyond the £400m spend, the concept of Saudi Arabian sportswashing and the grandiose ambitions, and some of them were in a relegation battle two years ago. A Champions League loss represented progress in that context. But if there were symbolic substitutions of the locals Longstaff and Burn, stripped of the superhuman powers they somehow possessed against PSG, perhaps the reality is that they could have been beaten twice in three games. Nick Pope’s heroics brought a point in Milan; he was similarly good against Dortmund but in vain. They have drawn a blank twice in three matches. They had a lone, late shot on target in San Siro. While they hit the woodwork twice, they only actually had three on target against Dortmund, and just one in the last 80 minutes. “In the second half the ball just wouldn’t go in for us,” Howe said. It was a legitimate lament, yet there are days when a shortage of natural creativity, of game-changing flair, of a natural No 10 can threaten to be their undoing. Edin Terzic arrowed in on Newcastle’s strengths. “A team that was pressing high with a very intense approach,” the Dortmund manager noted. It is a strategy that can serve Newcastle well but running alone did not unlock the Bundesliga’s runners-up. Moving Kieran Trippier into midfield in the second half was an attempt to get United’s best creator into a more advanced role. He may be required there more often. Sandro Tonali was not hired as a fantasista but he was designed to bring an injection of class. But his season seems over: not officially yet, but a ban beckons. Elliot Anderson has joined the injury list. In the forward line, Newcastle, already without Harvey Barnes for months, seem to be losing Jacob Murphy for a similar time with a dislocated shoulder. For Alexander Isak, a recurrence of a groin strain means he will play again soonest, but be out for a while. They are starting to look short of players. “There are some tired bodies,” Howe said. And Newcastle can require a physical edge, especially in meetings of evenly-matched teams. “A lesson in how fine the margins are going to be,” Howe rued. Particularly in Group F: this pool, of pedigree and money, of former winners and clubs who aspire to join them in that select group, may be the most intriguing. It is a product of circumstances. Newcastle’s lack of a recent record in Europe meant they were fourth seeds. Now they are plunged into peril. “The table looks very, very tight,” Howe said; his side kicked off in first, finished the night in third and could be out of the competition before they host AC Milan in it. They will always have Paris, but now the danger is their Champions League campaign in effect ends in the French capital. Read More Newcastle given Champions League reality check as summer decision returns to haunt them Eddie Howe provides update on Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy injuries after Borussia Dortmund defeat England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do?

After the euphoric evisceration of Paris Saint-Germain, this was the downbeat sequel Newcastle did not want. After the feelgood stories of the Geordie boys scoring in the Champions League came a tale of gritty realism, of meeting their match in the teeming Tyneside rain. There was no triumphant farewell to Sandro Tonali, either: instead Newcastle lost to a goal by a midfielder they considered signing in the summer, in Felix Nmecha, and who Borussia Dortmund bought instead. With Tonali likely to be banned for the rest of the season – he could learn his fate within days as an investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules nears its conclusion – Nmecha gave Newcastle an added reason to rue their choice. Nmecha was handed what seemed an unenviable task, hired from Wolfsburg, charged with replacing Jude Bellingham at the Signal Iduna Park. And if that feels impossible, his first Dortmund goal kickstarted their European campaign. Edin Terzic’s team had failed to find the net in their opening two games and if they looked like possible casualties in the competition’s group of death, it now looks like Newcastle could instead. The margins were narrow, the width of the woodwork that denied Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon but Dortmund inflicted their first defeat in this competition since Barcelona in 2003. Now Newcastle will head into the rematch in Germany without Tonali. If his debut season in England ends early, it also came to an anti-climactic conclusion. The Italian came off the bench with 25 minutes to go, making scant difference to a game Dortmund were already controlling. They were everything PSG were not, boasting the combination of organisation, team spirit and running power the French champions failed to show on Tyneside. Newcastle could not blow Dortmund away with their power: not when the visitors had a similar speed, and were lighting quick on the break. Nor could their crowd intimidate them into defeat: not when the travelling Germans were still more vocal. Instead, they encountered a team who could cancel out their strength, with a similar emphasis on high energy. It was not effort Newcastle lacked, but then it never is. Dortmund supplied a touch of class; arguably two, given the role of a pair of players in their goal. Given how well they defended, perhaps it was apt it began with a challenge. Nico Schlotterbeck halted Gordon with an immaculate tackle, surged clear and kept going, collecting Marco Reus’s return pass and squaring for Felix Nmecha to sidefoot in. For a few seconds, the centre-back looked more Beckenbauer than Schlotterbeck. The midfielder, who has something of Bellingham’s elegance, showed his technique with the finish. It had been threatened. The opening 10 minutes could have yielded two goals at either end, but thereafter in the first half Dortmund were the more dangerous. The scoreline would have been greater but for terrific saves at either end. If footballing goalkeepers have captured the Zeitgeist, Newcastle have a goalkeeping goalkeeper. Nick Pope was their saviour in San Siro and he threatened to reprise that role. A first-minute stop from Donyell Malen was excellent: better still was a superb double save to deny the Dutchman and Niclas Fullkrug. Malen produced a curiosity of a performance, adopting a shoot-on-sight policy and mustering six efforts before the break. Yet he was a sign of Dortmund’s counterattacking menace: their speed on the transition brought back memories of Jurgen Klopp’s blistering side a decade ago. Kieran Trippier, so often a great strength for Newcastle, was made to look a weak link as Dortmund found space behind him. At the other end, meanwhile, Gregor Kobel made twin early saves from Gordon. His best save came early in the second half, repelling Wilson’s shot. And when Wilson beat Kobel with a late header, it bounced back off the bar. It was not Dortmund’s only reprieve: in the 94th minute, Gordon’s shot looped up off Sebastien Haller, over Kobel and on to the bar. Gordon was relentless, probably Newcastle’s best outfield player, yet Wilson’s prominence was a sign their plans were going awry. Eddie Howe had demoted the striker and selected Alexander Isak, but he limped off inside a quarter of an hour. When the substitute Jacob Murphy hurt his shoulder a few minutes after coming on, Newcastle may have, in effect, lost three players, given Tonali’s imminent suspension. And yet Dortmund were depleted, too, minus Julian Brandt, stripped of the stricken Emre Can before half-time. But there was a resourcefulness and a resilience to them, a willingness to them. A team with a lone defeat in the Bundesliga in 2023 were not to be beaten. And as Newcastle lost instead, it prompted the question of whether the anomaly was this underwhelming evening or the glorious night they demolished PSG. Read More Howe provides update on Isak and Murphy injuries after Dortmund defeat Newcastle player ratings as Callum Wilson struggles as Alexander Isak replacement Newcastle vs Borussia Dortmund LIVE: Latest Champions League updates Newcastle and Dortmund share same glaring hole before Champions League clash Eddie Howe opens up on ‘hardest part ahead’ for Sandro Tonali Sandro Tonali is the latest victim of football’s double standards