Leeds come from behind to inflict another loss on rock-bottom Wolves
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 Leeds came from behind to beat Wolves 3-1 and extend the hosts’ losing start to the Premier League season to five matches. Boss Vitor Pereira was backed by the Molineux hierarchy with a new three-year deal during the week but there was nothing for him to celebrate as Leeds picked up their first win since the opening day – and their first on the road. Wolves are still without a point and defeat left them rooted to the bottom of the table, already four points adrift of safety and seven behind the newly promoted Whites. Wolves took the lead in a Premier League match for the first time this season through Ladislav Krejci’s first for the club but Daniel Farke’s men ran riot in the last 15 minutes of the half to flip the game on its head. Dominic Calvert-Lewin started the onslaught with Leeds’ first goal from open play this campaign, Anton Stach fired in a brilliant free-kick, then Noah Okafor’s effort on the stroke of half-time gave Leeds a healthy advantage. That did the damage for Wolves and fans aimed their chants at the club’s ownership, Fosun Group, and chairman Jeff Shi, singing “you sold the team, now sell the club”. Wolves started well and got the opener in the eighth minute – Tolu Arokodare played a neat one-touch exchange with Fer Lopez and the latter fed the ball through to Krejci, who expertly lifted it beyond goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Leeds settled down and began to cause a threat down the left through Okafor, who got in behind the back line but had a couple of crosses dealt with by the Wolves defence. The away side’s growing confidence was evident and after Lopez was robbed of possession in midfield, Brenden Aaronson blasted over the crossbar from distance. They got their due rewards just after the half-hour mark when Calvert-Lewin jumped highest to nod in Jayden Bogle’s delivery and level the scores. Leeds continued to put the hosts under pressure and found themselves with a free-kick 20 yards from goal after Krejci brought down Calvert-Lewin. Stach bent a superb effort past the despairing dive of Jose Sa and into the top corner to give the visitors the lead. There was still time in the first period for things to get worse for Pereira’s side, Stach this time turned supplier with an arrowing drive through the middle of the park which teed up Okafor to finish. Wolves needed to respond after the interval and threatened when Marshall Munetsi saw a header saved by Darlow. The hosts were running out of time but Leeds looked comfortable in defence and Darlow was alert to keep out Joao Gomes and maintain his team’s two-goal advantage. Many Wolves fans had already headed for the exit doors by the time the full-time whistle blew and those left in the stadium made their feelings known after another dismal afternoon for their team. PA
Nadi holds Labasa to a draw – FBC News
[File Photo] Nadi managed to hold host Labasa to a 2-2 draw today in their Premier League match at Subrail Park. With Labasa missing eight of their regular players, Nadi was determined to capitalise on the opportunity and secure a win on northern soil. However, despite a strong start that saw Nadi score through Aron Naicker and Nilkash Prasad, the Jetsetters were unable to maintain their lead. Article continues after advertisement Labasa made a second-half comeback with goals from Melvin Mani and Eparama Moraica, bringing the final score to a 2-2 tie. Tomorrow, Rewa will host Suva at Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori at 3 pm. Live commentary of the match will be available on Radio Fiji Two. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Kildunne’s ‘audacious’ try gives England early lead
Ellie Kildunne scores a fantastic try to give England an early lead in their Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against France in Bristol.
Mikel Arteta: Man City without a doubt in Premier League title race
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 Mikel Arteta said Manchester City are “without a doubt” in contention to win the Premier League ahead of their clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Arteta is bidding to steer Arsenal to back-to-back victories against City for the first time in a decade following their 5-1 thrashing of Pep Guardiola’s side in February. City finished third last season and have already tasted defeat twice so far this term to leave them nine points behind Liverpool following the Reds’ unblemished opening to their title defence. But when asked if City are still in the race to dethrone Arne Slot’s side, Arteta, who was Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium for three years, replied: “Without a doubt. “Knowing Pep really, and the demands he puts on his players, the mentality they have in the football club, the squad and the players that they have, I think so for sure. “What Pep’s already done in this league is unprecedented, the level that he’s put into the standard of this league is, in my opinion, unprecedented, and maintaining those levels for 10 years is already something incredible, and the demands are there for him and he wants to carry on because he believes that he can do it again.” Arteta’s side finished runners-up to City for two consecutive years and last season’s fixtures between the two sides were mired in controversy. Erling Haaland urged Arteta to “stay humble” following a 2-2 draw at the Etihad before Myles Lewis-Skelly imitated the striker’s celebration when he scored in Arsenal’s triumph at the Emirates. Arsenal are bidding to end a 22-year wait for a league title, and Arteta knows that a win against City will send out a statement that his players can take the fight to Liverpool this term. Arsenal are currently on a five-game unbeaten run against City, and Arteta admitted: “Winning those matches creates that conviction that you can go and win the game but not against them, against any opposition. “That’s the feeling I have now with the team and the players individually that we go to Sunday and we are there to win the game, and creating another good moment for us. The consistency, competing against one of the best teams in the world, and a good test for us to see our level. “We’ve had two very important wins (since the international break), very good feeling about the games, too, and we’re preparing for a big match for Sunday.”
Fiji edge Vanuatu in thrilling Futsal Cup
The Extra Fiji Futsal side launched their OFC Futsal Men’s Cup 2025 campaign with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Vanuatu in a pulsating encounter at Vodafone Arena last night. Vanuatu started strongly, dominating possession and creating early chances before Paul Takaro capitalised on a defensive lapse to open the scoring. Fiji replied through Filipe Baravilala, set up by Merill Nand, but the visitors regained the lead courtesy of Kerol Alex’s precise volley. Praschant Chand restored parity to send both sides into halftime locked at 2-2. The second spell turned into a gripping contest as goals flowed at both ends. Vanuatu struck twice through Michael Coulon and Takaro, while Fiji answered through Rajneel Singh and Baravilala, whose second goal delighted the home fans. The decisive moment came when Bruce Hughes finished off a swift counter-attack to hand Fiji victory. The closing stages were marked by fierce challenges and red cards on both sides. Baravilala, who was named Player of the Match, came close to a hat-trick when his powerful strike rattled the upright. Fiji will next face the Solomon Islands tomorrow, while Vanuatu return to action on Monday.
Billie Jean King Cup 2025: GB in must-win territory after Sonay Kartal loses to Emma Navarro
Kartal had her serve broken in a nine-minute opening game but responded to those early nerves in clinical fashion, winning the next four games and converting all three of her break point opportunities to take the first set. Navarro was her own worst enemy at times. She double-faulted to hand Kartal her first break, failed to win a point on her second serve and produced a glut of forehand errors. But as poor as she was in the opening set, Kartal was excellent, dominating their baseline exchanges and utilising her athleticism and the full width of the court to construct winner after winner. Her confidence was on full display when she chased down a drop shot before nailing a smashed winner to seal the set in style with a hold to love. Kartal broke immediately at the start of the second set and again in the fifth game, but on both occasions, Navarro responded immediately. An increasingly error-prone Kartal then handed Navarro three set points – the second of which she took to level the match. Momentum continued to swing in the final set, with the resilient Navarro saving two break points in the opening game and breaks exchanged midway through the decider. However, when the American won eight consecutive points to take a 5-2 lead, the battling Kartal was unable to mastermind a comeback of her own, with US captain Lindsay Davenport finally cracking a smile as Navarro converted her second match point.
Fiji wins futsal cup opener – FBC News
Source: OFC The Fiji futsal team produced a strong second-half comeback to defeat Vanuatu with a final score of 5-4 in the OFC Men’s Futsal Cup at the Vodafone Arena. The host nation showed moments of brilliance that were crucial in securing a successful opener. Goals for Fiji were scored by Rajneel Singh, Prashant Chand, Bruce Hughes, and a brace by Filipe Baravilala, who was also named player of the match. Article continues after advertisement Vanuatu proved to be a tough opponent, testing Fiji’s patience throughout the match. Although Fiji appeared to struggle with connecting their passes at times, teamwork and understanding proved to be the key values that kept the team going and ultimately led to their victory. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Liverpool v Everton live: Premier League team news and line-ups ahead of Merseyside derby
‘Liverpool’s £225m double act are in reserve’ Here’s Richard Jolly inside Anfield: “Arne Slot has put the two most expensive signings in Liverpool’s history on the bench. So Wirtz and Isak are a £225m double act in reserve. Everton do pick a £100m man, even if they didn’t buy Jack Grealish.” (Action Images via Reuters) Richard Jolly at Anfield20 September 2025 11:34 Arne Slot craves ‘calm and control’ from his Liverpool team Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits he would like to see his side be more composed in games but cannot fault their mentality in finding a way to win. “We’ve only played five games so it’s difficult to see something for the long term in it,” said Slot. “We’ve given away 2-0 leads three times and it’s completely different how we gave away the goals. Bournemouth was counter-attacks, I don’t think Atletico scored counter-attacking goals. “It’s not ideal to have a 2-0 lead and give it away so we have to improve but the positive thing is if we feel the urgency again we are able to score a goal. “This is definitely something we talk about, the 2-0 lead, because you can run out of energy at the end of the season if every game mentally and physically you have to go all the way to the end to win a game of football. “It’s never a good idea to keep on doing it but if we need it I still hope we can do it.” (Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Jamie Braidwood20 September 2025 11:30 Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz dropped Arne Slot has opted to drop Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz on the bench after both started and impressed in the midweek Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid. The decision sees Hugo Ekitike regain his starting spot up top, while Dominik Szoboszlai is moved back into the 10 after a commendable spell at right-back. Milos Kerkez also starts after being hooked before half-time against Burnley. Everton, meanwhile, make one change from the side that drew to Aston Villa, with Vitalii Mykolenko coming into the side in place of Tim Iroegbunam. Jack Grealish, who has been a revelation since his loan signing from Man City, will be one to watch on the left. Will Castle20 September 2025 11:26 Team news! Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike. Everton XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Beto. Will Castle20 September 2025 11:17 Liverpool v Everton team news and line-ups … will be confirmed from Anfield in the next few minutes. Jamie Braidwood20 September 2025 11:10 Virgil van Dijk calls for Liverpool to make life easier Virgil van Dijk accepts Liverpool are making things unnecessarily difficult for themselves and must improve to avoid having to repeat their trick of scoring late winners. “I think it was a little bit unnecessary. But Atletico are a team who never give up and have a lot of quality. Then we showed again the resilience we have shown for a couple of years,” said Van Dijk. “We don’t want to come into a situation where we have to chase. You have to try to go for the win and I think we had the opportunities to kill the game and do better. “But it is still progress, we are still learning and I am pretty confident we are going to get there.” Virgil van Dijk wants to see improvements in Liverpool’s defending (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire) Jamie Braidwood20 September 2025 11:00 David Moyes not envious of Liverpool’s spending compared to Everton’s David Moyes is not envious of Merseyside derby rivals Liverpool’s huge summer transfer business but pointed out they spent more on one player than Everton have invested in their squad in the last two seasons. Alexander Isak’s £125m arrival from Newcastle on deadline day broke the British transfer record and took the outlay at Anfield this summer to £450m. By contrast, Everton spent about £63m. “You have to earn the right to (spend money). First of all you have to win and be in the big competitions which make the money,” said Moyes. “I found at West Ham three years in Europe allowed us to spend money and bring money in. “From that point of view I think Liverpool are entitled to do it. I heard Arne (Liverpool boss Slot) defending himself saying he’s brought in a lot of money as well. “But I still think they’ve spent more on one player than we have on the whole squad.” (Getty Images) Jamie Braidwood20 September 2025 10:40 Liverpool have shown some ‘vulnerability’ this season, says Moyes Everton manager David Moyes said taking on Liverpool had always been a difficult task for him, but he was aware that the defending champions have some vulnerabilities ahead of the Merseyside derby. Moyes, who has won only six of the 44 matches he has faced against Liverpool in his managerial career, said the visit to Anfield would help gauge Everton’s quality after his team picked up seven points in their first four league matches. “As much as Liverpool have shown at different times where they have been very good … other times they have shown some vulnerability when they have conceded goals,” Moyes said. “We will have to try and take advantage of those moments as well. We played them last year at Anfield and lost to an offside goal and we want to try and run them close again and maybe this time things will go in our favour.” Jamie Braidwood20 September 2025 10:20 Arne Slot keeps cards close to chest when discussing Alexander Isak fitness Liverpool manager Arne Slot kept his cards close to his chest on the possibility of Alexander Isak starting the Merseyside derby against Everton, saying Britain’s record signing is likely still feeling the effects of his long-awaited return to action. The Sweden striker played an hour of Wednesday’s 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League
Newcastle United: Can they win promotion to the WSL this season?
The face of Newcastle’s takeover in its early days, Staveley had lofty ambitions for the Magpies’ men’s and women’s teams. She would regularly attend matches and after the women’s team won the fourth-division title in 2023, she FaceTimed the team as they celebrated on the coach back from Barnsley. “She was absolutely fantastic,” said former Magpies midfielder Georgia Gibson, who left the club at the end of last season. “Some of us who have left still engage with her and I don’t think that happens everywhere. “That’s what made the start of the journey so successful. They were not just investing money, they were investing time and showing us how much they wanted us to be successful. “Hopefully the girls will continue to have that journey, and it will be nice to see a conclusion to what we started.” Despite Staveley’s departure last year, Nobbs – who arrived in the summer – says the backing from the club is still “incredible”. She adds: “Naturally promotion is the goal. Nothing happens in a day, but the club wants to push into the WSL and I want to help with that.” Newcastle are now on the cusp of realising their ambitions, with the expansion of the WSL in 2026-27 meaning three clubs could win promotion this season. They started the campaign with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest but, after a disappointing draw with Sheffield United, they face the first big test of their credentials on Sunday against promotion-chasing Birmingham. “We are breaking records all the time,” says Lawler. “Just look at the attendance for the derby last season.” Some 38,502 fans turned out for their match against Sunderland at St James’ Park in March – a record for women’s football in England’s second tier. “Realistically, because of the way the league format is now, we have a much better chance of getting promoted. Becky will want promotion and that has to be the aim.”
Veteran boxer Naidu returns to the ring – FBC News
Veteran boxer Ronald Naidu is set to make his return to the ring for the first time this year at the FMF Blue Water Boxing Promotions next Friday. Naidu, who hails from Nasau, Nadi, will face Sigatoka’s Kaliova Tahikia in a 6×3 contest in the light welterweight category. The bout is expected to draw a lot of attention, as Tahikia is the son of former boxing sensation Tevita Vakalalabure. Article continues after advertisement For the past five years, Naidu has been the defending light welterweight champion and is still awaiting a worthy opponent to challenge him. Naidu mentioned that he had hoped to fight Mikaele Ravalaca, but that bout did not happen. He added that he is still hopeful that a future fight against Ravalaca will be arranged. The Bluewater Boxing event is scheduled for next Friday at Prince Charles Park in Nadi and will be available live via pay-per-view on viti.plus. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.