Arne Slot dismisses Everton complaints after controversial end to Merseyside derby

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Liverpool boss Arne Slot has rejected Everton’s complaints over a lack of stoppage time in Saturday’s Merseyside derby, insisting “time-wasting is not what we do”. The Everton manager David Moyes expressed frustration that only three minutes were added on at Anfield, calling the lack of stoppage time “strange”, while Jack Grealish said, “Three minutes and one second… I’ve never seen that in the Premier League in the last two or three years”. Liverpool won 2-1 to extend their winning start to the Premier League season and Slot said the amount of time added on was “correct”. The Dutch coach added that while other teams are guilty of time-wasting, the same cannot be said of the Premier League champions. “A lot has been said about the added time against Everton but I would have loved to play on three or four seconds more because we were in a five-v-two situation at that moment,” Slot told Liverpool’s website. “Now that tells you, I think, all about the mentality we have, always wanting to score a goal. The three minutes were completely correct, by the way, because there were only three moments where a substitution was made. “There was no time-wasting because that’s not what we do … and there was no treatment of injuries, one goal scored [in the second half]. “Then you come to three [minutes]. Where in many other games when we need a goal, there’s a lot, a lot, a lot of time-wasting going on, I can tell you.” Liverpool host Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening and Slot has said that he will rotate his team, confirming that Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, among others, are set to be rested.
Khan urges clean sport ahead of Bluewater Boxing Promotions – FBC News

[Photo Credit: Supplied] Boxing trainer Faiyaz Khan has joined the fight against drugs, sending a stern message to promoters and fighters across the country to steer clear of substance abuse. Khan, who has been involved in the sport for a good number of years, says the future of boxing depends on discipline and clean competition, urging young athletes to treat the ring as a place of respect, not shortcuts. This comes as the countdown continues for the highly anticipated Bluwater Boxing Promotions, which is set to take centre stage at Prince Charles Park in Nadi this Friday. Article continues after advertisement “A message to the promoters, to the promoters in the country and to the veteran fighters. Just a simple message. Say no to drugs.” Khan, who is training 61-year-old veteran boxer Sunil Dutt, is also urging youngsters to get involved in sports—not necessarily boxing, but any activity that keeps the body moving—especially with the rising cases of non-communicable diseases in the country. He is also calling on the people of Nadi and those around the country to come out and support the veteran professional fighters and local boxing promoters. The event is expected to draw fans from across Fiji as veteran and rising boxers step into the ring. The FMF Bluewater Boxing Promotions will be held this Friday at Prince Charles Park in Nadi. You can watch it LIVE on our online streaming platform Viti Plus. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
‘Kaizer Chiefs bent over backwards for Nabi’ – Khan

Former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Farouk Khan has explained why Amakhosi and Nasreddine Nabi are parting ways after just 14 months. The Tunisian tactician appears to have fallen out with the Chiefs management in the past few weeks. He was not present during the club’s CAF Confederation Cup clash this past weekend. “I think it goes back to last season, there were talks about Nabi leaving at the end of the season and it was due to the fact that Kaizer Chiefs is not a team that can be fighting to get into the top 8,” Khan. “[Getting into the top 8] is something that’s an automatic expectation and mandatory from the team. His saving grace was the Nedbank Cup The main factor for me was that the team didn’t do as well as expected,” he said. Khan explains why Kaizer Chiefs and Nabi split “When they signed Nabi, there was a lot of expectation. The team bent over backwards by bringing in his entire technical team, including his physical trainer, his goalkeeper coach and assistants. If you can recall, Kaizer Chiefs always had a culture of having someone who is local in the team, like a legend but Nabi refused point blank,” Khan told Soccer Beat. Amakhosi went for Nabi in 2023, but no deal was made and the club decided to go with Molefi Ntseki. A year later, Chiefs finally got the Tunisian tactician. If you recall, there was a time when they wanted Nabi but at the last moment, Kaizer Chiefs decided not to bring him on board. There was bad blood during that period. So there was this thing, ‘now you want me, now I will make demands’. I think Kaizer Chiefs gave in to all his (Nabi) demands, so they expected more in return and it wasn’t the case,” Khan added. Which coach should Chiefs go for?
Dubois, Inoue: Ranking the best siblings in boxing right now

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Boxing can be a very lonely sport, with just two combatants slugging it out in front of thousands of fans baying for blood. But for some, it is very much a family affair. We have seen instances of two or more people from the same family climbing to the top of the sport, including the Klitschko brothers, who ruled the heavyweight division for the best part of a decade. The two Ukrainian greats have now walked away from boxing, but siblings are still flourishing. The question is: who are the best siblings in boxing right now? Here, we rank the top seven who are all thriving on the global stage. Subscribe to DAZN now to watch over 185 fights a year open image in gallery (Getty Images) 7. Jason and Andrew Moloney The Moloney twins hail from Australia and have both held world titles in recent years. It was Andrew who got his hands on championship gold first when he was named WBA (Regular) super-flyweight champion in 2020. His reign was a short one as he lost a points decision to Joshua Franco in June 2020. The rematch was ruled a no contest after an accidental head clash, while the trilogy bout also went Franco’s way on the scorecards. Andrew fought his way back into title contention with four straight wins but then suffered the first knockout loss of his career when he was stopped in the final round by pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani two years ago. Another loss to Pedro Guevara in May 2024 led to Andrew announcing his retirement, but he performed a swift U-turn and won his comeback fight with a third-round stoppage last December. Meanwhile, Jason actually had his first world title shot before Andrew when he faced Emmanuel Rodriguez for his IBF bantamweight belt in October 2018. Jason was on the wrong end of a split decision and was then knocked out in the seventh round by Naoya Inoue when he challenged for the Japanese star’s world titles in October 2020. It was third time lucky for Jason two years ago when he edged past Vincent Astrolabio to win the vacant WBO bantamweight strap. Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime. Buy Now ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime. Buy Now ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. He made one successful defence before losing on points to Japan’s Yoshiki Takei last year. Jason was also beaten in his last outing in February and now has work to do to return to the title mix. 6. Liam and Callum Smith There are four Smith brothers who have all boxed, but only Liam and Callum are still competing. Liam achieved his dream of becoming a world champion in 2015 when he knocked out America’s John Thompson. He defended his WBO super welterweight title twice before coming unstuck against Mexican great Canelo Alvarez. Liam has continued to fight at the highest level for the best part of a decade since and holds impressive wins over the likes of Chris Eubank Jr and Jessie Vargas. However, he has lost his last two contests and faces an uphill task to get back to the top of the sport. His brother, Callum, appears to have a better chance of winning another world title. He won the World Boxing Super Series in 2018, beating George Groves in the final to win the WBA and Ring super middleweight titles. Similarly to Liam, Callum also defended his belts twice before losing to Canelo. He subsequently moved up to light heavyweight and fell short in his bid to rule a second weight class when he was knocked out by Artur Beterbiev last year. But he has bounced back with successive wins and claimed the WBO interim belt when he beat Joshua Buatsi in a fight of the year contender in February. Callum’s next fight is yet to be scheduled but he could be in line for one final title shot before retirement. open image in gallery (Getty Images) 5. Jermall and Jermell Charlo Jermall and Jermell Charlo have been inactive in recent times, but their achievements cannot be ignored. Jermall was crowned IBF super welterweight champion in 2015 and defended his belt three times before moving up to 160lbs. After initially winning the WBC interim middleweight belt, he was finally named full champion in 2019. He did not lose his title in the ring, but Jermall has only fought twice since 2021. However, he looked impressive as he claimed a knockout win in May, and he is now seeking a world title in a third division after jumping up to super middleweight.
Rewa seal quarterfinal spot with win over Ovalau – FBC News

[Photo Credit: Fiji Sports Council] Rewa have booked their place in the 2025 Royal Tea Ranadi Trophy quarterfinals after a hard-fought 39-33 victory over Ovalau in Round 3 this morning at the HFC Bank Stadium. The win means Rewa finish the pool stage unbeaten and advance as the top side in their zone, maintaining impressive consistency since the start of the competition. Vice-captain Latileta Tinai credited both faith and resilience for the result, while acknowledging that there is still work ahead. Article continues after advertisement “We credit God for this victory, and we are also thankful to Ovalau for a tough match. We have a lot of things to work on so we can be better again in the quarterfinal.” With momentum and confidence on their side, Rewa will now turn their focus to the knockout stages as they look to extend their unbeaten run. Dates of the knockout stages will be confirmed once all games are complete. Meanwhile, the Western Zone will be held tomorrow at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
De Jong, Mashiloane and Lepasa

With the PSL transfer window closing at midnight, Orlando Pirates have been busy. The club’s recently released forward Zakhele Lepasa has joined Siwelele FC on a free transfer. Tshepho Mashiloane has left Soweto to join Sekhukhune United on loan, while Orlando Pirates are scrambling to sign Andre de Jong from Stellenbosch FC before the midnight transfer window deadline. DEADLINE DAY: ORLANDO PIRATES MAKING TRANSFER DECISIONS The playing competition and squad depth at the Orlando Stadium is proving unforgiving again. With Thabiso Lebitso, Deano Van Rooyen and Bandile Shandu all battling for the right-back jersey, the 23-year-old Mashiloane barely stood a chance, with only two appearances from the club’s 10 games this term. The loan to Sekhukhune can only be ideal. ZAKHELE LEPASA Former Orlando Pirates striker Lepasa is set for a new chapter, with Siwelele FC expected to unveil the 28-year-old Sowetan tonight. “Zakes” leaves the Buccaneers with 15 goals and two assists in 64 appearances, plus three MTN8 titles and a Nedbank Cup to his name. While he was linked with Durban City FC, the Citizens walked away from the chase and signed Letsie Koapeng from Orbit College FC instead. ANDRE DE JONG The bigger headline, though, is the chase for Stellenbosch FC star Andre de Jong. According to iDiski Times, the Soweto giants are pushing hard to land the 28-year-old attacking midfielder before the window slams shut. Earlier on Monday, Stellies’ CEO Rob Benadie confirmed talks are happening. However, the newest reports say the Cape side are leaning towards keeping the New Zealander until the January transfer window. De Jong has been a consistent performer in the Cape Winelands, with 16 goals and 11 assists in 103 games. Known for his relentless work rate and creativity in the number 10 role, he would add real competition for Sipho Mbule, Patrick Maswanganyi and Kabelo Dlamini in the Orlando Pirates midfield.
Why Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele burst into tears during acceptance speech

Why Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele burst into tears during acceptance speech
Fiji Futsal Outclass Tuvalu 4-1 in Suva

The Extra Fiji Futsal side produced a commanding performance to register a 4-1 victory over Tuvalu in their third outing at the OFC Futsal Men’s Cup 2025 at the Vodafone Arena in Suva last night. The Jose Gerardo–coached outfit was made to work hard for their second win of the tournament, as Tuvalu showed grit and determination on both ends of the court. Despite Fiji’s attacking intent from the opening whistle, Tuvalu’s captain Reme Timuani, alongside Taufaiva Ionatana and Flamez Mokeni, frustrated the hosts with sharp counters and firm defending. Fiji, however, broke the deadlock when Bruce Hughes cleverly chipped a free kick over the Tuvalu goalkeeper. The hosts then turned up the pressure, with Merril Nand doubling the advantage through a close-range strike before Filipe Baravilala converted a penalty to make it 3-0 at halftime. After the breather, Ramzan Khan extended Fiji’s lead with an early strike to effectively put the game beyond reach. Tuvalu, refusing to go down without a fight, pulled one back through Aloesi Nukualofa, who fired in from the right wing to spark a late push. Tuvalu continued to press with Jason Alama threatening the Fijian defence, but the hosts held their ground to secure the result. The win keeps Fiji’s campaign alive following their earlier 5-4 triumph over Vanuatu and a 2-5 defeat to Solomon Islands. Captain Kitione Baleloa and his men now turn their focus to a crucial final group match against New Zealand, set for Wednesday, September 23 at 7pm, where a win could boost their hopes of progressing further in the competition. Halftime: Fiji 3–0 TuvaluFulltime: Fiji 4–1 Tuvalu Scorers:Fiji – Hughes, Nand, Baravilala, KhanTuvalu – Nukualofa
Football gossip: Alvarez, Kane, Saliba, Guehi, Rashford, Savinho, O’Reilly

Liverpool and Barcelona want Julian Alvarez, Real Madrid remain keen on Arsenal’s William Saliba and Spurs still want to sign Savinho from Manchester City. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, 25, is considering leaving Atletico Madrid next summer, with Liverpool and Barcelona interested in signing the Argentina international. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external) West Ham’s concerns over Nuno Espirito Santo’s financial demands could open the door for Slaven Bilic to replace Graham Potter, who is clinging on to his job after the Hammers’ poor start to the season. (Guardian, external) Barcelona want to do a deal with Manchester United to sign on-loan England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, for £26m – a fee short of United’s valuation, which is closer to £35m. (Star, external) Real Madrid watched Arsenal centre-back William Saliba, 24, in action against Manchester City on Sunday and maintain their interest in signing the France international. (TBR Football, external) Crystal Palace captain and England centre-back Marc Guehi, 25, is still eager to join Liverpool as a free agent next summer, having nearly signed for the Premier League champions on deadline day. (GiveMeSport, external) England captain Harry Kane, 32, has a clause in his contract which means the striker could leave Bayern Munich for £56.7m next summer – but only if he announces his intention to depart the German champions before the end of the winter transfer window. (Bild – in German, subscription required, external) Tottenham retain an interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, 21, and could revisit a potential deal for the Brazil attacker in January. (Teamtalk, external) Meanwhile, Spurs are prepared to offer up to £35m to sign Real Sociedad’s Spain midfielder Brais Mendez, 28, in January. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external) Chelsea are monitoring Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, with Leeds United, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon also interested in the versatile 20-year-old. (Football Insider, external) Manchester United have prioritised a “major goalkeeper signing” next summer. (Sun, external)
Utah company at fault for numbering issue: FRU – FBC News

[Photo: Supplied] The Fiji Rugby Union has clarified that the numbering issue was due to workmanship by a local company engaged in Salt Lake City, and not a reflection of the quality of the jerseys supplied by its official kit provider, Umbro. In a statement, the FRU said it understands the public interest in this matter and appreciates the passion Fiji supporters bring to the game. However, it stressed that it is important all facts are considered before drawing conclusions. Article continues after advertisement Immediately after the match, Fiji Rugby communicated with World Rugby to report the issue, with confirmation from team management. Investigations have since confirmed that the numbering problem resulted from workmanship by a local company in Salt Lake City and was not related to the quality of jerseys supplied by Umbro. Fiji Rugby Acting CEO Koli Sewabu says national team jerseys are sent without numbers, as player selections, positions and sizes are only finalized a few days before game day. “This is standard practice for touring international teams. Once the team is confirmed, managers proceed with numbering locally. We thank our fans for their continued support and encourage everyone to seek clarity and context before forming opinions.” The FRU adds it remains committed to transparency, professionalism and upholding the standards of the game. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.