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Liverpool are still smarting from what happened away to Tottenham over the weekend, and a fresh injury blow has sent the Reds' weekend from bad to worse.

What happened to Liverpool with VAR?

The Reds suffered one of the cruelest defeats in Premier League history on Saturday evening, in what was a crunch clash with a similarly in-form Spurs side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Liverpool ended up playing with nine men for a chunk of proceedings, following a somewhat harsh red card for Curtis Jones and a soft sending-off for Diogo Jota, and it was Joel Matip's last-gasp own goal that consigned his side to a 2-1 defeat in north London.

The worst part of the entire match was Luis Diaz's disallowed goal during the first half, however, with the Colombian finding the net but being adjudged to have been in an offside position. It turns out that he was in fact onside, but those in charge of VAR inexplicably failed to tell referee Simon Hooper that that was the case.

It was an incident that has left anyone of a Liverpool persuasion fuming, and on Sunday night, the club released an official statement, saying: "That such failings have already been categorised as 'significant human error' is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency."

Away from the VAR farce, the Reds have now also been handed an injury blow, following a new update that has emerged.

Which Liverpool player is now injured?

Taking to X, Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink claimed that Cody Gakpo could now be missing for Liverpool for "several weeks", having limped off after scoring the equaliser against Spurs:

"Cody Gakpo is expected to be out for several weeks at Liverpool. If all goes well, a few weeks. The Dutch matches in October do not seem feasible for the former PSV player at the moment."

Gakpo took his goal at Spurs brilliantly on Saturday, but as soon as he looked in pain after finding the net, it was clear that he was in serious discomfort, having been down injured shortly before scoring as well.

In truth, the fact that the Dutchman was seen in a knee brace after the game means that several weeks on the sidelines could actually be deemed semi-good news for Jurgen Klopp, considering there is the risk that he could be out for months of action instead. However, there is no question that Gakpo will be a big miss, with his manager saying he is someone who "eats football", in terms of his dedication and intelligence as a player.

The 24-year-old has often been trusted as Liverpool's first-choice option down the middle of the attack, linking with others in Roberto Firmino-esque fashion, and that ability to knit things together will make him a big loss in the coming weeks, even though the likes of Darwin Nunez and Jota bring different attributes to the team.

Hopefully, Gakpo is only out of action until the October international break has finished later this month, but that could be wishful thinking, following this latest update on his fitness.

Jeevantha Kulatunga and Tharindu Mendis, working as coaches with SLC, were suspended after being seen in conversation with alleged fixers in Al Jazeera’s documentary

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-May-2018Two of the three former Sri Lankan players seen in conversation with alleged fixers in Al Jazeera’s documentary on cricket corruption are coaches presently working for Sri Lanka Cricket. They have been suspended since the documentary’s release, SLC said.Jeevantha Kulatunga, 44, who had played two T20 internationals for Sri Lanka and had also coached the national women’s team until 2014, was working as a provincial coach in the Western Province. Tharindu Mendis is a coach for the Gampaha district, in addition to being a former first-class cricketer.Both were seen talking to an alleged fixer, as well as the Al Jazeera journalist posing as a prospective bettor. Mendis was seen during the investigation into pitch fixing; Kulatunga in another part of the documentary when those in the room were allegedly speaking about fixing actual games. “Playing cricket for us is like brushing our teeth in the morning,” Kulatunga is shown to be saying at one point. “But playing according to your plan is the easiest thing because there’s no pressure for us.”SLC said its first move after coming to know of these allegations was to suspend those in its employ. “The names we learned about as a result of this documentary – we suspended them immediately,” SLC vice-president Mohan de Silva said. “It’s our duty to protect the game, and we want to reiterate that we have a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. We will look at our processes and improve them to ensure there is no leeway.”Al Jazeera’s documentary also implicated a third former player, Dilhara Lokuhettige, who was shown to be in the room with Kulatunga when fixing was allegedly discussed. As Lokuhettige lives in Australia and holds no positions within SLC, the board can take no action against him, board CEO Ashley de Silva said.The assistant manager at the Galle Stadium, who is also implicated in Al Jazeera’s allegations, has been suspended as well.

The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians are about to make a shocking bit of history.

The two longtime foes were both founding members of the American League in 1901, and have shared a division since 1969. The Guardians and Tigers have played more than 2,300 times. Neither team has faced an opponent more often. Yet, somehow, they have never played each other in the postseason. That's remarkable.

That will obviously change this weekend as the AL Central-winning Guardians will host the Tigers in the AL division series beginning on Saturday.

Cleveland won the season series between the two teams 7-6, but they haven't played since July 25. The Tigers have been on a roll since, as they went 17-11 in August and 17-8 in September to snag the American League's final wild card spot. They swept the AL West-winning Houston Astros in the wild card round and enter the ALDS against their longtime rivals on a roll.

The first ever postseason series between the franchises should be a fun one. It will open on Saturday in Cleveland at 1:08 p.m. ET.

After suffering the heartbreak of Premier League relegation, Leeds United were forced to bid farewell to a number of players in the summer transfer window, giving new manager Daniel Farke an immediate headache at the start of his tenure.

The former Norwich boss recruited well, however, alongside new owners the 49ers Enterprises, and the Whites are now in the race for automatic promotion alongside Ipswich Town and Leicester City.

Farke's attention may soon turn towards the January transfer window and keeping hold of the new stars that have emerged this season at Elland Road. The last thing he'll want is to do is lose players once again in what would be a major dent in his side's Championship promotion push. And reports suggest that the manager is set to get his wish when it comes to keeping one particular player, too.

Leeds United transfer news

Whilst exits took place during the summer, they did at least give Farke the opportunity to discover new options at Elland Road, whether through the market or the academy. And that includes Archie Gray, who has emerged as one of Leeds' standout stars this season. The teenager has taken his opportunity incredibly well and has quickly become an important part of Farke's side – so much so that the Whites may face a battle to keep hold of him.

Phil Hay shares off-field Leeds agreement from Elland Road

Good news for Leeds fans…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 24, 2023

According to Football Insider, Leeds and the 49ers are set to reject offers for Gray during the January transfer window and are adamant that he'll be staying at the club amid reported interest from Liverpool, Everton and Crystal Palace. The midfielder's current deal runs out in 2025, which hands Leeds a fairly urgent task when it comes to securing his future in Yorkshire, and talks are thought to be in the works over a new contract.

"Fantastic" Gray has become key for Farke

Gray's stats this season show just how important he's been for Leeds. The 17-year-old has started plenty of Championship games throughout the current campaign, whether that be in midfield or at right-back, proving his versatility. Still so young, Gray is only likely to get even better, which is exciting for those at Elland Road.

Farke is certainly a fan too, speaking about Gray's ability to fill in at right-back, saying:

"For Archie, it's definitely not a bad choice at times. We don't play him there just to develop him, it's more we've got the feeling for this game, we need a player there who is capable to handle the pace and the speed and the mobility of the opponent's wingers.

"Also to play a bit more like an inverted full-back, a bit more like a traditional midfield player, Archie would have been the right choice. Thank God he repaid my trust and played some really good games there. He was fantastic in the last home game, solid last away game and he was crucial, especially in the second half."

MLS side LAFC are in advanced talks to sign AC Milan star Olivier Giroud on a free transfer this summer.

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Giroud linked with MLS moveAC Milan man in talks with LAFCOut of contract in summerWHAT HAPPENED?

The 37-year-old forward could link up with ex-international teammate Hugo Lloris in Hollywood, with the 2022 MLS champions looking to bolster their attack, according to The Athletic. Despite his age, Giroud is still scoring at a prolific rate in Europe, with 12 goals and eight assists across 26 matches in Serie A this season.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

LAFC have made the past two MLS Cup championship games, winning in 2022 and falling just short in 2023. With Giroud in their ranks, alongside reigning Golden Boot-winner Denis Bouanga, their attack would be one of the most prolific across the league.

Giroud helped France reach the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup finals, winning the former against Croatia, and falling just short against Lionel Messi and Argentina in Qatar.

However, nothing is set in stone at the moment, with the report claiming that the Rossoneri themselves could still look to extend Giroud's stay in Milan beyond the 2024 campaign. If he doesn't reach an agreement with LAFC, options in the Middle East are available – along with other European teams, too.

DID YOU KNOW?

Giroud has 56 goals in 129 caps for France – making him Les Bleus' all-time record scorer. Across his entire career he's netted 332 times for club and country since 2005.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GIROUD?

Currently with the France national team during the international window, Giroud is lining up to participate in a pair of friendlies against Germany and Chile. At club level, he will return to the pitch with Milan on March 30 against Fiorentina.

Fakhar Zaman and KL Rahul became the new No. 2 and No. 3 respectively, while Babar Azam, Colin Munro and Glenn Maxwell slipped to occupy the spots right below the top three

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2018Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch has jumped three places to vault to the top of ICC T20I rankings for batsmen, while Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and India’s KL Rahul rose to the No. 2 and No. 3 spots respectively. Finch also became the first player ever to break the 900-point barrier in the T20I rankings but ended the series with a final tally of 891 points.The new top three in the ICC rankings for T20 batsmen•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Babar Azam, Colin Munro and Glenn Maxwell all slipped, occupying the three spots below Finch, Zaman and Rahul.Finch had a prolific run in the tri-series against Pakistan and hosts Zimbabwe, piling on 306 runs in five games at a strike rate of over 200, which included a world record 172 off 76 balls.Zaman moved up 44 places on the table and reached 842 points following his own incredible form in Zimbabwe, which featured a career-best 91 off 46 balls in the final that helped Pakistan seal a record chase against Australia in Harare.Rahul touched a career-high 854 points following the first match of the T20I series in England – which the visitors won 2-1 – where he scored a match-winning 101, but a dip in the next two games saw him finish with 812 points.D’Arcy Short, Finch’s opening partner, entered the top 10 rankings for the first time. He made 165 runs at an average of 41.25 in the tri-series, including a 53-ball 76 in the final. The others who garnered career-best rankings following the two series were Jason Roy (No. 15 with 641 points), Jos Buttler (No. 17 with 614 points) and Zimbabwe’s Solomon Mire, who rose a staggering 202 spots to 25th place on the table.Among the bowlers, legspinners Rashid Khan and Shadab Khan retained the top two positions but there were movements down the table. Andrew Tye rose 41 places to seventh spot and Adil Rashid moved up four places to ninth.

Dimuth Karunaratne will return to competitive cricket with two four-day matches for Sri Lanka A in the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh. He had fractured his index finger in early May, effectively ruling him out of the ongoing tour of the West Indies, but has now begun training, and will aim to have matches under his belt ahead of July’s home Tests against South Africa.Sri Lanka A are set to play three four-dayers in Bangladesh, but because the third of those matches clashes with the start of the first Test against South Africa, Karunaratne is expected to play only the first two. Nevertheless, he has been named captain of the Sri Lanka A side – which also features Dasun Shanaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan and Danushka Gunathilaka, all of whom have played Tests for Sri Lanka over the past year. Fast bowler Shehan Madushanka has also been named in the squad, after his recovery from injury.Sri Lanka A’s first two four-dayers will be played in Cox’s Bazar, before the teams move to Sylhet for the third match. A three-match one-day series is to follow in Sylhet, for which the selectors are expected to name a separate squad.Sri Lanka A squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt., first two four-dayers only), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjan, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Shammu Ashan, Manoj Sarathchandra, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lakshan Sandakan, Nishan Peiris, Shehan Madushanka, Nisala Tharaka, Dilesh Gunaratne.

Cameron Bancroft, the player to actually tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test, has been banned for nine months, as the fall-out of the scandal rumbles on

Daniel Brettig in Johannesburg28-Mar-2018Steven Smith and David Warner, formerly captain and vice-captain of Australia, have been banned from playing international and domestic cricket for 12 months by Cricket Australia for their roles in the pre-meditated plan to tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test. Warner is banned from captaincy for life, and Smith for 12 months after the completion of his ban. Cameron Bancroft, the player caught tampering with the ball, was banned from playing for nine months and from captaincy for 12 months after the completion of his ban.CA has said that the plan was devised by Warner, the foreign object used was sandpaper, and that Bancroft and Smith lied publicly in their post-match press conference in referring to it as adhesive tape. The full charge sheet confirms a raft of misdeeds by the trio, under which they have been charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, conduct unbecoming, conduct harmful to the interests of cricket, and conduct bringing the game into disrepute. The basis for these charges includes the following:Warner developed the plan to alter the condition of the ball, instructed Bancroft in how to do it including making a demonstration of technique with sandpaper, and the misled the umpires by helping to conceal the plan.Smith had prior knowledge of the plan and did not stop it, directed the plan’s concealment on the field once it became apparent that the team had been caught out on the big screen, and then made “misleading” public comments about the “nature, extent and participants” in the plan.Bancroft had knowledge of the plan, took instruction as to its carrying out and then did so, before seeking to conceal the evidence and then to mislead the umpires as to what had taken place, and then joined Smith in making misleading public comments about what he had done.All three players were told of their bans in person by the CA chief executive James Sutherland at the team hotel in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning. Smith left the team hotel to fly home soon afterwards. All players will have the right to challenge the verdicts and also the duration of their penalties via a CA code of behaviour hearing with an independent commissioner, who can also choose whether the hearing is public or private. Players at the hearing are permitted to call as many witnesses as they like and also to have legal representation.Warner, who has been singled out as the architect of the plan and given the harshest penalty of the three, is expected to challenge the verdict and take the matter to a code of conduct hearing. It is not known what Smith and Bancroft intend to do – all three players have seven days to consider the charges and their intent to accept or challenge. All three players have been replaced in the squad ahead of the fourth Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.”The sanctions we have announced are significant for the individuals involved. That is why the process has had to be thorough to ensure that all relevant issues have been examined,” Sutherland said. “I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game, and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events.”The CA chairman David Peever said that the Board had chosen to take a path that still allowed the players to eventually rebuild their careers. “The CA Board understands and shares the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about these events,” he said. “They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that. These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”While banned from international and first-class cricket, Smith, Warner and Bancroft are all permitted to play club cricket for the period of their bans “to maintain links with the cricket community”, and at the same time will be required to commit to 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.The ball-tampering incident took place during the afternoon session on day three at Newlands and was picked up on by TV cameras. A small, yellow object was seen in Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, which he later claimed to be adhesive tape with soil particles on it. He was also captured taking the object from his pocket and placing it down his trousers.The footage showed Bancroft rubbing the rough side of the ball, the opposite side to which he would usually be trying to shine on his trousers. He put the object down his pants after being spoken to by the substitute Peter Handscomb, who had come on to the field after speaking to Australia coach Darren Lehmann over a walkie talkie. Lehmann seemed to speak to Handscomb after footage of Bancroft working on the ball was shown on the TV screens at the ground.The on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth were then seen speaking with Bancroft, though they did not choose to change the ball or penalise the Australians five runs – the statutory on-field penalty for illegally changing the condition of the ball. When Bancroft spoke to the umpires, he was shown holding a bigger, black cloth rather than the small yellow object he had earlier seemed to place down his trousers.Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at the press conference after play on the third day. Smith and Warner were stood down as Australia’s captain and vice-captain during the Newlands Test, and both players took the field on the fourth day under wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s leadership.The ICC had already suspended Smith – who was fined 100% of his match fee and given four demerit points – from the fourth Test against South Africa, while Bancroft was given three demerit points and fined 75% of his match fee. There was no ICC sanction against Warner.Smith and Warner had already stepped down from their positions as captains of the IPL franchises Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and have subsequently been banned from playing in the tournament.

Unfit? Check. Arrogant? Check. Unfocussed? Check. Robin Uthappa has learnt life’s lessons, and is ready to do anything for what he once took for granted – big-time cricket

Sriram Veera04-Sep-2010It was 2007. They said he didn’t look fit. They said he had been reduced to two shots – a paddle scoop and a desperate walk down the track. They said he was arrogant, that he had got ahead of himself. That Robin Uthappa was over. Aged 21.Uthappa grew up with such accusations directed at him: unfit, over-confident, arrogant, a front-foot thumper. The stories were familiar. Everyone had heard the one about his mother suggesting he ask Rahul Dravid for an autograph, only to have her son reply, “I want to give, not take autographs.”The one about his weight, however, is not so well known. At the age of 10, an attack of epilepsy meant he had to take steroid medication for three-and-a-half years. It slowed his metabolism and made him susceptible to putting on weight, leading to a life-long battle against the bulge.Things haven’t changed much. Uthappa is still battling the same perceptions.”I need not only to be fit but also to fit,” he says. “If I don’t train for a week, I put on four kilos. You can imagine what happens if I don’t train for a month. Post-IPL I was 85kgs. I went into surgery [for a shoulder injury] at 89 kilos.” After surgery he didn’t train for 21 days. He started rehab at 95 kilos.It has to be depressing. “It’s like hitting a wall,” he says. “Day in, day out you hit the gym and work really hard but you feel like you are not getting any results.” After the surgery Uthappa checked his weight every week. No movement on the scale. Still the after-effects of the old battle with epilepsy. Uthappa looks fit now, but he knows it’s a never-ending struggle.Arrogance, the second sin, shadowed him for long and he admits as much. When he played the first IPL, just on the heels of a World Twenty20 triumph, the familiar traps followed: money, fame and narcissism. “I was 21-22, we had just won the World Cup, and I thought I could get away with murder, man,” Uthappa says.It’s the burden of his generation, and it looks like Uthappa’s story is repeated in a dozen youngsters around. The system and its “benefits” can leave a young cricketer vulnerable to temptation and unaware of how to handle fame and fortune.He says it wasn’t the usual distractions like parties and late nights that had bothered him. “I stopped working as hard as I used to. My work ethics definitely suffered. I would rather stay in the room rather than get some work done in the gym. I would rather hit 20 balls less than 40 more, like I used to do in the past.””Fame does funny things,” Sadanand Viswanath, an eighties star who burnt out early, once said. “The adoration from fans is indescribable. You have to be there to understand it.” Uthappa does. “Money, certainly, is a factor,” he says. “When you are suddenly earning so much, you get ahead of yourself.”An entourage mushrooms around you, of the kind of people a young athlete ends up attracting. “You get people who tell you what you want to hear, you slack off,” Uthappa adds, “Worse, you don’t even know you are slacking. It happens more and more, especially with the kind of money that’s come into the game now.”

I can’t be a Rahul Dravid. I can’t be a grafter. I don’t have the flexibility of Sachin. I am someone whose strength is aggression. I am more in the mould of Hayden, Sehwag or Dhoni. I have decided that’s how I am going to play from now on

Some cricketers never realise they have derailed. It struck Uthappa just before the CB Series in Australia two years ago. “We were playing Pakistan in India and I realised I had already done a lot of damage to my career,” he says. “I realised I had to make changes and do it quickly. I tried to do it in the CB Series, but after the new selection committee came in. The Asia Cup in 2008 was the last game I played. I had no real role in that tournament, and Suresh Raina came really good, and they had to leave me out.”It took a while for me to adjust, but I am really happy that I realised by myself that I was going off track and realised pretty quickly. I remember thinking, ‘S**t, I’m getting ahead of myself and should hold back.’ Even then I guess it was a little late to realise.”He is 24 now. He reflects on that phase of his life and talks about what youngsters need in times like the ones he went through. “I think one has to have a guide, a mentor they can talk to, trust, and blindly believe what they say,” he says. “It could be a fellow player, a coach or parents. If that other person says you are crap right now, you close your eyes and believe that is so. Thankfully due to my education and upbringing, I realised soon that I was heading the wrong way. I have understood that there are lines a player can and cannot cross and I have mended my ways.”If that indeed is true – and there is no reason not to believe him – it’s only the beginning of the battle. Uthappa started his campaign to return to the Indian team on the domestic circuit. He had a reasonable 2009 season, but flopped in that year’s IPL. The domestic season that followed wasn’t great, but the IPL 2010 was. His power-packed cameos put him back on the map. It also helped him understand the path ahead.”I can’t be a Rahul Dravid. I can’t be a grafter,” Uthappa says. “I don’t have the flexibility of Sachin, who can graft and attack at his own will. I am someone whose strength is aggression. I am more in the mould of Hayden, Sehwag or Dhoni. I have decided that’s how I am going to play from now on.”The Champions League is the first step in his attempt to return to international cricket. Since the 2009 World Twenty20, many young Indian batsmen have floundered against short-pitched deliveries. Uthappa sees the Champions League as an opportunity to showcase his skill. “I grew up on matting wickets, and pull shots come naturally to me. The South African pitches will offer bounce and should be ideal for such shots.”He has said he will concentrate on his keeping, and now aims to fill that role for India in the limited-overs formats. He also says he has relinquished the opening slot, and will seek a role in the middle order. It’s not going to be easy. He still has a long way to go. The good news is, Uthappa knows it and is ready for the long haul.

It will precede Australia’s three-T20I series against Pakistan starting October 24

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2018UAE will play their first T20I against Australia, by hosting them in Abu Dhabi on October 22. It precedes Australia’s three-T20I series against Pakistan in the UAE that starts from October 24.The game was handed T20I status after both Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board sanctioned the move. It will start at 2pm local time at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium (Oval 1) ground, with free entry to the ground.”We are delighted to be in a position to announce this fixture and we are extremely grateful to the ICC for their support in accrediting the Abu Dhabi Oval for T20 international cricket at such short notice,” Zayed Abbas, Emirates Cricket Board spokesperson said. “Our thanks also goes out to to Cricket Australia for approaching this opportunity so positively, and especially to the Pakistan Cricket Board for permitting this match during their home tour in the UAE with Australia. It has been an incredible effort from all parties to bring this match to fruition.”Waleed Bukhatir, UAE chief selector, said: “This match will provide an exceptionally good test for our players. We need them to be put under pressure and for them to focus more intently by being challenged by higher ranked, leading teams within our game. To do so it is vitally important for the Full member countries, and the ICC to support and provide the Associates with such opportunities.”UAE have played 26 T20 internationals with nine wins and 17 losses. Their last T20I assignment was against PNG at home in April 2017, when they swept the series 3-0.