‘It’s ego’ – Top-heavy recruitment has left Liverpool ‘disjointed’
Match of the Day pundit Troy Deeney discusses why Liverpool’s summer recruitment has led to them becoming “disjointed” in their run of four straight defeats in all competitions.
Freestyle riders airlifted to hospital after major crashes at Red Bull Rampage
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 Two freestyle mountain bikers at Red Bull Rampage were airlifted to hospital after crashing in Zion National Park, Utah. Spanish rider Adolf Silva was attempting his second run at the free ride event, one of the biggest in the world, when he crashed hard on a steep downhill section of the course. The Spaniard was attempting a double backflip but crashed partway through the move, landed hard on his head and rolling down the rock face. Crowds surrounded him and he was loaded onto a stretcher before a rescue helicopter airlifted him to hospital. The incident occurred shortly before 1pm on Sunday, with Red Bull USA reporting he was ‘alert, conscious and talking to his loved ones’ around half an hour after his transfer away from the scene of the accident. There was a break in competition before the remaining riders resumed their second runs. Silva had crashed earlier in his first of two runs at the annual event, but appeared unhurt and was able to finish. Later on Sunday Swedish rider Emil Johansson was also airlifted to hospital after crashing down a sheer cliff face after attempting a tailwhip. The event organisers reported that he was ‘alert and responsive’, but the competition was paused again for medical crews to extricate him from an inaccessible position on the ridge line. Both riders were safely transported to hospital. The competition is famous for its unforgiving terrain and the extreme difficulty of the riders’ tricks and jumps. More follows
Seema’s absence and Mofokeng’s injury
Orlando Pirates suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo in the CAF Champions League first leg of the second preliminary round. A heavy defeat at the Stade Frederic Kibassa Maliba Stadium has seen many Bucs fans asking for Relebohile Mofokeng and Lebone Seema. The latter formed a formidable centre-back pairing with Mbekezeli Mbokozi but agaisnt St Lupopo, the young defender was on the bench. What Pirates fans are saying Mofokeng suffered an injury earlier this month against Siwelele forcing him out of the Bafana Bafana squad. The 20-year-old is still unavailable for selection and the club have not issued a statement regarding the extend of his injury. Seema on the otherhand, was benched for the more experienced Nkosinathi Sibisi on Sunday. Pirates fans took to X to question why Abdeslam Ouaddou opted to start with the Bucs captain. “We’re not turning this around especially with Mofokeng being injured. This is a disaster,” @IceHota26 tweeted. “Wadu will start Seema at Orlando to bribe the fans, he must pray we don’t concede and we win coz jeeer my fanbase will go hard,” tweeted @BathabileLethob. @KiiNG_18 wrote: “Experience doesn’t work, Mbokazi is better than Sibisi with way less experience. Seema and Mbokazi gave us clean sheets, took us to the MTN8 finals and won it for us. Where was the experience lapho? Pirates suffer heavy defear “Anyone that mentions Sibisi’s “experience” as an excuse as to why he started the game should tell me how Mbokazi is a better defender than him with way less experience. Seema & Mbokazi’s partnership gave us 8 clean sheets & Wadu saw it best to start an unrested Sibisi over Seema? @KiiNG_18 tweeted. Orlando Pirates host the return leg this coming weekend at the Orlando Stadium hoping to overturn the tie. Can the Buccaneers recover and win the second leg?
Nareki reignites fine form in win over Bay of Plenty – FBC News
Jona Nareki. [Photo Credit: Otago Daily Times] Former All Blacks 7s winger Jona Nareki is finally reigniting his livewire form as he produced an electric and instrumental display to lead his Otago side to a memorable 41-17 win over Bay of Plenty in the semi finals of the Bunnings National Provincial Championship over the weekend. Playing his 66th game for Otago, the 27-year-old winger scored his 37th career try in the blue and gold and played a key role in setting up several scoring opportunities for the hosts. Just before halftime, Nareki executed a pinpoint 50/22 kick that set up a quick lineout and led directly to a try for blindside flanker Will Stoddart, giving Otago a 21-12 halftime lead. Article continues after advertisement With the score at 28-12, Nareki powered into a Bay of Plenty ruck with trademark aggression, winning one of his four turnovers and setting up a Cam Miller penalty. At 31-12, Nareki’s relentless pressure forced a poor clearance from Blues fullback Cole Forbes, which Finn Hurley capitalized on to extend the lead. Otago’s 41-point semi-final victory was their largest over Bay of Plenty since 2001, when they recorded a 62-15 win. This latest triumph marks Otago’s seventh consecutive win, their longest streak since their championship-winning run in 1998. They will take on Canterbury in the cup final this Saturday at 3.05pm at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Nat Sciver-Brunt hails ‘special’ Heather Knight knock after England reach semis
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 England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt hailed a “special” innings from Heather Knight as a superb century by the former skipper helped secure a four-run win over India to book a World Cup semi-final spot. Knight, whose summer was hampered by a hamstring problem, marked her 300th international appearance with an excellent 109 which was the mainstay of England’s 288 for eight, with India fighting back to take a flurry of wickets. Set a highest ODI run-chase, India looked well placed after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (70) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (88) made half-centuries – only for England’s bowlers to exert some late pressure to dampen the partisan crowd as hopes of a home win faded away. “Heather’s innings was special,” Sciver-Brunt said in her post-match interview with Sky Sports. “Her use of sweeps and reverse-sweeps was brilliant. We messed up the last five-six overs, but (got) crucial runs from Charlie (Dean).” Sciver-Brunt praised the resolve of her side, their last match against Pakistan in Colombo having been washed out after England slumped to 79 for seven. “I am so so happy,” she said. “Everyone just showed how calm they were and were really clear in what they wanted to do. “We knew throughout the bowling innings that we really needed to stick in. “A partnership obviously happened with Harman and Smriti and they looked like they were going to chase it easy, but we knew if we got a wicket at one end, we could really put on the pressure.” Sciver-Brunt added: “We haven’t been tested towards the end of the innings with the ball, so we wanted to be ready for that, but everyone came in with brilliant plans and executed brilliantly.” England will next face Australia, also in Indore, on Wednesday. “The Australia match is one to look forward to, and get into the battle,” Sciver-Brunt said. “We are happy to get the qualification, but want to take some confidence into the knock-outs.” Knight was pleased with her match-defining innings after registering a third ODI hundred. “It was nice to get conditions were it felt a bit more conducive to batting,” she said. “I just wanted to put the accelerator down, because I felt we needed 300 on that pitch. “I was a bit frustrated with how I got out, but I am really pleased. With 300 caps as well, I was desperate to put in a statement performance.” It was a third straight defeat for tournament co-hosts India, who now face a battle to secure the final qualification berth, having appeared in a strong position at the halfway point of their run-chase. “Smriti’s wicket was the turning point for us,” said Kaur, whose side had been 234 for three. “We still had batters, but I don’t know how things went the other way. Credit to England – they didn’t lose hope. “It is a bad feeling when you have put so much hard work in, but the last five or six overs didn’t go according to the plan. “It is a heartbreaking moment. We are playing good cricket, we are not giving up, but have to cross the line.”
Bouncy balls, points gaps & Honda Civics – how Celtic’s chaotic day unfolded
A theme of Celtic’s season has been Rodgers bemoaning their transfer business and a perceived lack of quality brought into the club. He has regularly been asked about and pointed out the goals that have been taken out of his squad with the sales of Kyogo Furuhashi last January and Nicolas Kuhn in the summer, in addition to Jota’s long-term injury absence. Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha arrived to bolster Rodgers’ attacking options after they had already been dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Kazakh champions Kairat, while Kelechi Iheanacho arrived on a free after the window had closed. And after they failed to fire in attack once again, Rodgers appeared to criticise the quality within his squad. “I think the challenge from the summer, now leading into here, where we lost a lot of firepower, a lot of goals out on the team,” he said. “And there’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari’. It’s not going to happen.” He insists it is up to him to find “solutions” to their goal-scoring issues, be it through changes to personnel or formation. “Until something changes, I have to find the solutions,” he added. “Because like I said, goals, speed, everything has come out of the team and we need to find a way to be better. “We had the opportunities to do what we needed to do. It didn’t happen, so now it’s finding ways, whether it’s 4-3-3, whether it’s 3-4-3, whether it’s 3-5-2. We’re trying to look at all these different permutations within the team.”
Liverpool vs Man United live: Score and updates from Premier League clash
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd GOAL! A staggering start at Anfield! United find themselves ahead before either side had any time to settle. It’s a good goal too, with Fernandes sweeping the ball wide to Amad, who isolates Kerkez before finding Mbeumo on the overlap. The Cameroon winger is 1-v-1 with Mamardashvili and squeezes a finish past the Georgian to open the scoring! (Peter Byrne/PA Wire) Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:33 KICK-OFF! Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd We’re underway at Anfield! Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:31 Liverpool vs Man Utd live Both sides are in the tunnel at Anfield now, so we should be underway soon in this one! Can Liverpool move back within touching distance of Arsenal? Can United produce a decent performance at Anfield? Could they even win back-to-back league games for the first time under Amorim? We’re about to find out. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:25 How the table looks A reminder that Liverpool need three points today to keep within a point of leaders Arsenal, with a win taking them back into second with 18 points. United currently sit in 12th with 10 points, and a win could take them into ninth. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:20 Match stats Only Arsenal (56) and Newcastle (62) have faced fewer shots than Manchester United (64) in the Premier League this season, but despite this, the Red Devils have the fourth-highest expected goals against figure in the division (10.1). Indeed, their average xG per shot faced of 0.16 is the highest of any Premier League side in 2025/26. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:15 Amorim: ‘We need to have confidence to win more games’ In his pre-match conference, Amorim pointed to “maybe the expectations” as a reason why his side tend to perform better against the better sides. “When you have to win and the responsibility of winning, it’s so much harder to play like that. That’s why when you play in big clubs, you need to win every match, especially when people are expecting you to win. And we have some difficulties, sometimes, to deal with that. “When people, and you guys, expect Manchester United not to win that game, maybe it’s easier for the players to perform, and we need to change that. But to change that, we need to have confidence to win more games, to have more points, to feel more free to play the game. So, I think that is the main reason,” he added. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:10 Stats Mo Salah has more goals (13) and goal involvements (19 – 13 goals, 6 assists) against Man Utd than any other player in Premier League history. Only five players have recorded 20+ goal involvements against a single opponent in the competition: Les Ferdinand (20 v Everton), Alan Shearer (21 v Everton, 21 v Leeds), Frank Lampard (21 v Bolton), Harry Kane (22 v Leicester), and Wayne Rooney (23 v Newcastle). Chris Wilson19 October 2025 16:06 Arne Slot highlights Liverpool’s biggest weakness in bid to snap losing streak against Man United Arne Slot has pinpointed Liverpool’s vulnerability from crosses as a key part of their recent losing streak. The Reds boss has discussed what his side can do to improve their form and keep pace in the Premier League title race after three consecutive defeats. Jack Rathborn19 October 2025 16:00 Match stats Liverpool have lost both of their last two Premier League games, after winning their first five of the season beforehand; it wasn’t until their 31st league match of last season that they suffered their second defeat. The Reds could lose three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since February 2021 (4). Manchester United are winless in their last eight Premier League away games (D2 L6) since beating Leicester City 3-0 in March. The Red Devils last went longer without a league win on the road in September 1989 under Alex Ferguson (11). Chris Wilson19 October 2025 15:50 Head-to-head This will be the 193rd match between these two rivals, with United having won 73 in the past compared to Liverpool’s 65. 54 have ended as draws. Last season, Liverpool demolished United 3-0 in one of Arne Slot’s first major victories at Old Trafford in early September, but the return fixture was more even as United came away from Anfield with a well-earned 2-2 draw. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 15:40
Young guns shine as Fiji grabs gold in Melanesian Cup – FBC News
Source: Basketball Fiji Fiji’s new generation of basketball stars rose to the occasion in Honiara, powering the national side to back-to-back titles at the FIBA Women’s Melanesian Cup with a hard-fought 57–47 win over Papua New Guinea. Fiji last won the title in 2022. Led by captain Bulou Tuisue, the squad, a blend of six seasoned players and six fresh faces showed that talent, teamwork, and trust can overcome even the toughest opposition. Tuisue, who missed the 2022 tournament due to injury, said it was inspiring to see how quickly the younger players adapted to the big stage. “I’ve actually found it quite easy leading this group. The girls are so responsive, whatever we ask of each other, we just do it. Everyone’s there to support one another, and that makes all the difference.” The captain praised her side’s composure and unity, especially after a shaky start against a strong Papua New Guinea outfit. For Tuisue, the win was personal, a comeback built on heart and leadership. Returning with a new team brought challenges, but their talent and teamwork came through when it mattered most. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Women’s Cricket World Cup: Heather Knight century for England vs India – best shots
Watch the best shots from Heather Knight as she hits a superb 109 runs off 91 balls, to help England set India a target of 289 to win in their Women’s World Cup match in Indore. FOLLOW LIVE: Women’s World Cup – India v England Available to UK users only.
Tottenham vs Aston Villa live: Unai Emery’s side face Premier League test after political storm
Head-to-head These two sides have met 157 times in the past, with Spurs winning 70, Villa winning 55 and 32 ending as draws. They met three times last season, with Villa winning the home league match and an FA Cup tie, though Spurs won this fixture 4-1 last term. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 13:30 Aston Villa target top half Aston Villa, for what it is worth, can climb in to the top half today with a win, with Everton’s defeat yesterday leaving them within reach in 10th. Manchester United play later, of course, and begin the day a point and two places ahead of Villa. It was a tricky start to the season for Unai Emery’s side, but there were signs before the international break that they were starting to find some fluency and form. Aston Villa return to action (PA Wire) Harry Latham-Coyle19 October 2025 13:20 Thomas Frank hails Fabio Paratici’s ‘great eye’ on return to Tottenham Thomas Frank is looking forward to working with Fabio Paratici and co-sporting director Johan Lange, having operated under a similar structure during his time at Brentford. Harry Latham-Coyle19 October 2025 13:10 Fabio Paratici back at Spurs Tottenham confirmed this week a couple of changes to their off-field structure, with Fabio Paratici back on a full-time basis having served a long ban from football. Harry Latham-Coyle19 October 2025 13:00 Team news The big news for Villa is that Ollie Watkins is only fit enough to make the bench, with the England striker one of two changes made by Unai Emery from the side that beat Burnley last time out. Elsewhere, Lamare Bogarde makes way for Amadou Onana in midfield. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 12:55 Team news Thomas Frank has made just one change to the side that beat Leeds before the international break, with Destiny Udogie making way for Djed Spence at left-back. The midfield pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur continues, with striker Mathys Tel supported by Wilson Odobert and summer signings Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 12:51 Line-ups Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Palhinha; Kudus, Simons, Odobert; Tel. Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Richarlison, Gray, Bergvall, Johnson, Sarr, Kolo Muani, Byfield. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 12:48 Line-ups Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Onana, Kamara; McGinn, Guessand, Rogers; Malen. Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Barkley, Watkins, Sancho, Buendia, Elliott, Bogarde. Chris Wilson19 October 2025 12:47 Team news on the way… Right, we should have team news from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium very shortly. Any surprises? Spurs are dealing with a few injury concerns… Harry Latham-Coyle19 October 2025 12:40 Unai Emery ready for ‘huge challenge’ at Tottenham Back to today, then, and Unai Emery is preparing for a “huge challenge” as his Aston Villa side travel to Tottenham. Villa started slowly, failing to win any of their first five Premier League games, but went into the October international break having won two in a row in the league and four in all competitions. They now take on a Spurs side who have only lost once in 10 matches in all competitions since the start of the Premier League season, and Spanish head coach Emery believes it will be a test of his side’s progress. “Tottenham is one of the contender teams to be in the top seven,” he said at a press conference on Friday. “Last year they didn’t achieve it, but of course this year they are really playing fantastic, getting good results, they are now in the top with 14 points, and playing at home, they are feeling strong. “For us, it’s really a huge challenge, how we can face them, showing our capacity and how we are playing against them as a team, individually how we are responding – this is my challenge.” Emery is expecting to have Ollie Watkins, Emi Buendia and Jadon Sancho available after knocks, while Tyrone Mings is also a contender for the squad depending on how he trained on Saturday. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is expecting a tough test (PA Wire) Harry Latham-Coyle19 October 2025 12:30