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      in Soccer

      Squeaky bum time for Klopp as Liverpool face being out of title race by October with Arsenal & Man City next

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      IN the week that ‘Squeaky bum time’ entered the Oxford English Dictionary, Jurgen Klopp is about to discover exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson was talking about all those years ago.Trouble is, Fergie was referring to the nervous final few games of the season when titles are won or lost.
      Liverpool could be out of the title race in the next few weeks with Arsenal and Man City up nextCredit: Rex
      Arteta’s Arsenal are sat top of the leagueCredit: Rex
      Guardiola will go head-to-head with his former apprentice, Arteta, for the Premier League crownCredit: Rex
      Not the first week of October, with over three quarters of the campaign still to be played.
      But the stark reality for Liverpool, is that if they lose their next two  games against Arsenal and Manchester City, then their title bid will be over.
      Some might argue that they are already too far behind the top two to stage a comeback.
       While those gloomy forecasts might seem a little premature, there is no getting away from the importance of the next nine days for Klopp.
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      Because unless they can get their act together immediately, there is every chance that they will find themselves 16 points behind City and 17 adrift of Arsenal before the clocks even go back to signal the end of British Summer Time.
      Right now, they are languishing in ninth, just above Brentford and Everton on goal difference.
      They have conceded the first goal in nine of their last 11 league games — and have an appetite for self-destruction which should have them on suicide watch.
      All the more remarkable, then, that they have only lost one league game in 2022, which is testimony to their powers of recovery if nothing else.
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      But having to stage a fightback on an almost weekly basis is draining the life out of Liverpool’s ageing players
      And it’s not as if they can still blame injuries for all their troubles, because most of their absent stars have now returned to action — and without any discernible improvement in results.
      Whole forests have been chopped down to cover the recent newspaper debates over right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold’s qualities.
      But defensive rock Virgil van Dijk is suddenly just rocky, while Mo Salah has now developed ‘Ozil syndrome’ and largely gone missing in action since signing his £350,000-a-week contract in the summer.
      Darwin Nunez has struggled to cope with the constant comparisons to City cyborg Erling Haaland — and Klopp is already wondering if he kept the receipt for deadline-day signing Arthur Melo.
      The only Reds players performing on a consistent basis are Alisson and Luis Diaz.
      Yet victory at the Emirates on Sunday is not beyond them, particularly given the record between the teams.
      Since Klopp was appointed in October 2015, his side have lost just one of 17 competitive games against Arsenal, scoring 46 in the process.
      So history suggests another Liverpool win, even if the current form book says otherwise.
      But anything less than three points will leave them with a mountain to climb  and the horrifying prospect of their title dreams receiving the last rites at Anfield next weekend.
      And that is certainly enough to get all Scouse bums squeaking.
      RON CAN BOSS IT
      WITH Wolves looking for a new boss and Cristiano Ronaldo with a face like a slapped arse on the United bench, why not kill two birds with one stone and make him Molineux player-manager?
      He’s Portuguese and has Jorge Mendes for an agent, so he certainly ticks all the right boxes.
      And you suspect that Manchester United chief Erik ten Hag would be glad to see the back of the grumpy old GOAT after initially blocking his Old Trafford exit.
      Trouble is, clubs aren’t exactly queuing up to sign a petulant 37-year-old who throws his toys out of the pram every time he doesn’t get his own way.
      But that wouldn’t be a problem if he moved into management, because he could pick himself for every minute of every game and always be the centre of attention.
      So now it’s just a simple matter of funding those £360,000-a-week wages and persuading his partner to move to the Black Country. 
      Ronaldo is having a tough season at UnitedCredit: EPA
      RUNNING JOKE
      I HAVE never understood the appeal of running in the London Marathon and the chance to finish 8,000th behind someone dressed as an emu.
      And even the millions of pounds raised for charity do not completely offset the nightmare prospect of getting stuck next to the pub bore droning on about his split times.
      But I had to take my hat off to the bloke who sprinted to the front of Sunday’s elite race to get himself on TV and win a long-standing bet with  his mates.
      And even though he wasn’t able to maintain his lead beyond the first 100 metres, at least he made it all the way to the finishing line.
      Fancy dress is a common theme at the London MarathonCredit: The Mega Agency
      MR OR MRS BENN
      WHY all the fuss about Conor Benn testing positive for the female fertility drug clomifene?
      Perhaps the poor guy has simply been trying to get pregnant.
      Although I have to say fighting with a baby on board isn’t advisable.
      But if boxing can virtually turn a blind eye to Tyson Fury and Canelo Alvarez failing drugs tests in highly dubious circumstances, it’s little wonder so many in the sport were happy for Benn’s catchweight contest with Chris Eubank Jr to proceed.
      Benn failed a drugs test and his fight with Eubank Jr has been postponedCredit: Alamy
      REAL MADRID chief Florentino Perez says football is sick — and that a European Super League is the only cure.
      But everyone knows that horse has well and truly bolted after England’s self-appointed Big Six got their fingers so badly burned last year.
      Doctor Flo is fooling nobody but himself, Barcelona and Juventus if he thinks anyone else will board that bandwagon again.
      Perez says the Super League is football’s cureCredit: EPA
      JUST last week I pointed out how managers hate having tactics questioned.
      And on cue Antonio Conte reacted to criticism of Spurs’ loss to Arsenal.
      Not sure what ‘youse are all idiots’ is in Italian but Djed Spence’s sister might want  to  axe social media.
      Spence is struggling to break into Tottenham’s starting line-upCredit: Getty
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      MAN UTD’S 6-3 defeat at the ­Etihad was the eighth time in 12 months that they have conceded at least four goals in the Premier League.
      Maybe they should ask Vladimir Putin for advice. He knows all about the Red Army’s crumbling defence.
      Man Utd conceded six against rivals Man City on the weekendCredit: EPA More

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      in Motorsport

      Ben Hunt: Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s budget scandal D-day may end up being a damp squib but row will rumble on

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      MERCEDES are preparing to be left disappointed by the results of the FIA’s cost-cap investigation due on Wednesday.Merc boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull chief Christian Horner are at loggerheads over the rule that limited teams’ spending last season to £114million.
      Christian Horner was raging at Merc rival Toto WolffCredit: Rex
      Horner was left in a rage that Wolff had publicly commented on Red Bull’s financial submission, calling foul play on how the Austrian was privy to the confidential document filed to the FIA.
      Despite accusations of the opposite, Horner has maintained his team filed their audited report with their costs actually LOWER than the cap.
      On Sunday night, the Brit repeated his claim and said: “I’m absolutely confident in our submission.
      “It’s been through a process. It went in in March, in terms of being signed off fully by our auditors, and we believe that we are comfortably within the cap.”
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      However, I understand the final figure could now tip over the threshold following an assessment by the FIA to a sum that amounts to under £2m.
      That would then qualify as a ‘minor’ breach of the rules and result in the FIA coming up with a suitable punishment, which Red Bull will either accept or appeal.
      Should they accept, they’d be awarded their compliance certificate with the stipulation they accepted a breach agreement with the FIA.
      However, it is now looking unlikely that it will change the outcome of last year’s championship and that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen keeps his crown.
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      That was the explosive prospect for a ‘material breach’ of the cost cap, which seems will be avoided.
      However, that might still not be the end of the matter.
      It is expected Red Bull will argue that the extra money spent was not directly related to the production of their car and was for other items such as canteen food at the factory, sick pay or wages for staff placed on gardening leave.
      Merc are likely to counter that should have been included from the start. After all, every pound spent on sandwiches could have been cut from the cost of development on a rear wing.
      Wolff is now considering skipping this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix so he can lobby his point.
      It is an incredibly messy situation for the FIA to navigate and there is a growing debate as to how you police identifying how much of last year’s budget was spent on developing this year’s car.
      Tomorrow’s cost-cap D-day may prove to be a damp squib. But the row will rumble on.

      ALIPINE GO WITH GAS
      PIERRE GASLY is expected to be confirmed as an Alpine driver for 2023  this weekend.
      Alpine must stump up for his services as he is under contract with  AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s B-team.
      AlphaTauri are then expected to sign Nyck de Vries, 27, from under the noses of Williams.
      And Nico Hulkenberg is now the leading candidate to replace Mick Schumacher at Haas should they decide not to re-sign the German or the 23-year-old goes to Williams.

      MAX JUST A SHI GUY
      RED BULL are planning yet another marketing stunt — this time at Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Crossing.
      Dubbed the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing with as many as 500,000 people using it  a day, the F1 team have permission to film Max Verstappen driving there.
      Yet, ironically, Sunday’s race winner, Sergio Perez, might not be able to take part as the Japanese authorities have a problem with his  Mexico-issued driver’s licence.
      Sergio Perez might not be able to take part in a Red Bull stunt at Shibuya CrossingCredit: Rex
      HAVING been in the spotlight for most of the season, new FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was conspicuous by his absence in Singapore.
      I understand he will miss the Japanese GP, too.
      Curious given Max Verstappen is likely to win the title AND the teams are tangled up in a cost-cap row.

      THE all-female racing championship W Series will make a decision this week on whether to finish the season amid a cash crisis.
      W Series is due to feature at the F1 GPs in Texas and Mexico and has been trying to find a new backer after a lucrative deal collapsed at the 11th hour.
      Read More on The Sun
      A PAIR of Moto3 mechanics who deliberately blocked a rival rider in the pitlane at Aragon have been sacked by the Max Racing Team.
      The staff members were also fined just under £2,000 each for obstructing Tech3 KTM’s Adrian Fernandez during qualifying a fortnight ago. More

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      in Soccer

      Harry Redknapp: Harry Maguire is what I call a ‘proper’ defender… Man Utd star should start for England at the World Cup

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      HARRY MAGUIRE will be stuck on the sidelines once again when today’s Manchester derby kicks off.And judging from the stick he’s had this week, that’s where most people would like him to be when England begin their World Cup adventure next month.
      Despite his recent struggles, Harry Maguire should be starting for England at the World CupCredit: PA
      Maguire had a shocker against Germany but Gareth Southgate continues to back himCredit: Getty
      Well, it might not be the popular view right now but here’s a thing… if I was picking the side to face Iran on November 21, Harry would be in it, for sure.
      You don’t need me to say he’s had a rough time of things lately. Maguire’s such a straight guy, he’d tell you that himself.
      Yes, he’s made a few ricks although getting as much grief as he is doesn’t make it any easier.
      But Harry is a really decent lad and the one thing he won’t do is shy away from it all. He’s also a strong enough character — and good enough player — to come through it.
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      In the big games — and they don’t come any bigger than the World Cup — you need a big presence, and he’s certainly that. On the pitch and in the dressing room.
      Fair enough, he wasn’t great against Germany but he never let England down in Russia and if he gets the chance, I’m sure he won’t in Qatar either.
      I’d have him in the middle of a back three with John Stones and Kyle Walker or Eric Dier either side. They are quick enough to deal with the full-back positions.
      Harry isn’t the best mover, shall we say. Put it this way, if he was walking around the paddock, you wouldn’t be rushing to spend millions on him!
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      I remember the first time I saw him, when he was at Sheffield United and thinking, ‘This kid could get exposed today’.
      But he was magnificent, headed everything, won every tackle and was man of the match.
      He will never be the quickest but he’s what I call a “proper” defender, like Steve Bruce. Throws himself into challenges, never hides, blocks everything, body on the line every time.
      You need guys like that, just as much as you need the silkier footballers.
      Lisandro Martinez could struggle against Erling Haaland due to the immense height differenceCredit: Getty
      Haaland has set the Premier League alight since joining in the summerCredit: AFP
      And in my book they don’t come more solid than Harry.
      Erling Haaland would certainly find it harder to out-muscle Maguire than Lisandro Martinez at the Etihad this afternoon.
      Martinez is clearly a good defender, a real competitor and growing into the job at United.
      But he is 5ft 9in — giving away over six inches to the Norwegian — and Pep Guardiola will be telling Haaland to pull on him. If he does, it’s no contest.
      Having said that, it’s been no contest in every game he’s played this season, because no one has come close to stopping Haaland yet.
      I know Haaland’s scored goals wherever he’s been, but even by his standards, 14 goals in ten games — including two hat-tricks — is some start.
      He wasn’t great against Germany but he never let England down in Russia and if he gets the chance, I’m sure he won’t in Qatar either.Redknapp on Maguire
      Never mind finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer, he could shatter the record of 34 goals in a season.
      I remember Clive Allen getting 49 in all competitions back in the 1980s but Haaland’s so good that it really wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up with half a century.
      Then again, when you’ve got so many top players making killer passes and creating such good chances, a finisher as good as him is always going to end up with a hatful.
      The kid has an arrogance and confidence about him — he’s certainly not shy — but then again, there’s a very good reason for that.
      Haaland is an absolute monster of a player. Pace, power, height… he’s the Full Monty, all right.
      I just can’t see how United can stop him. And even if they manage it, this City side is so good that there are nine others who could cause just as much damage.
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      The way they’ve started the season, they’ll win the title at a canter — and I expect them to do exactly that at the Etihad today.
      United have picked up and had a couple of decent results but they’re still a long way short and there’s only one outcome for me. And a comfortable one at that. More

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      in Soccer

      Troy Deeney: Bellingham should snub Liverpool to be a Real Madrid superstar… he’ll be England captain by next World Cup

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      FINALLY, Birmingham has a role model to look up to in Jude Bellingham.As someone who was born and bred there, I can say the city as a whole hasn’t had a great deal to celebrate.
      Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham should snub Liverpool for Real Madrid, says Troy DeeneyCredit: Rex
      Troy Deeney praised Jude Bellingham as the perfect Birmingham role modelCredit: PA
      We are the working class. We are always written off. We are never spoken about in the same way as London or Manchester.
      So, when you have a local lad like Jude, who has come through the system, done everything the right way and then gone on to do what he has done, scoring in the Champions League and starring for England at 19, it is special.
      He really is the pride of the city.
      It is what the local kids will aspire to be like, even my 13-year-old son.
      Read More on Football
      If he was to be around Jude for more than three minutes, he would probably pass out.
      It is just a testament to the whole family, including his 17- year-old brother Jobe who I play with currently at the Blues.
      Really solid people and great individuals.
      His mum and dad have managed to create two young, not only great footballers for club and country in the Under-18s and senior team, but wonderful human beings as well.
      Most read in Football
      When Jude’s No 22 was retired after he left Birmingham for Borussia Dortmund, the club was a laughing stock, but now look.
      Everyone is going: “This guy is unbelievable.”
      I already think he is a superstar. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the face of the FIFA game next year and I think he will be England captain in three to four years’ time.
      And when he is at the World Cup in Qatar, and all the eyes are on him, he is only going to play better.
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      The deeper the water, the better he swims.
      We will all be going: “Oh my God, look at this talent.”
      It could be similar to how the likes of Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen burst on to the global stage with England.
      This has always been in the pipeline for Jude, and this is what he has been working towards for years.
      You don’t just get there by mistake or luck.
      So, once it becomes reality, you aren’t fazed by anything. This was all a part of the master plan.
      I already think he is a superstar. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the face of the FIFA game next year and I think he will be England captain in three to four years’ time.Troy Deeney
      His parents have kept him level and grounded, but at the same time he isn’t a robot, he isn’t stiff. He gives you a bit in interviews but he has never forgotten who he is and where he comes from.
      He is still humble enough to come back to Birmingham, to speak about the city and the role certain players had on him.
      Sometimes you just have to sit back and clap. I am someone who likes to give people their flowers while they are alive.
      That family is special and as a parent, I would like to be like their parents. It is a pleasure to be around them.
      There are no doubts in that young man’s head.
      He has an unwavering belief and I see that come out on the pitch.
      Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham could stand out at the World CupCredit: Getty
      I studied him in the Germany game, and when England were 2-0 down, he was the one driving people forward, going to press. The word to describe his performance is ‘flawless’.
      There is just something different in the way he  carries himself.
      He demands the best  but can do it with a smile.
      In my day and before, captains would be barking and screaming but these guys can do that with a laugh and a smile at the same time. From what I have been told, he has been like this since he was 16, driving games, being a real positive presence off the pitch.

      He will be getting linked with massive clubs now.
      His family are very methodical, so they will sit down and think about the pros and cons for each move but Jude will have his mind made up already.
      He doesn’t have the mindset of wanting to sit and have a few more years development but I don’t see Liverpool as the move.
      I can see why he would play there and why it would work but I have just a feeling that Spanish football will suit him. If Real Madrid come in, I can’t see him turning that down. More

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      in Soccer

      Karren Brady: Our game does NOT need Labour’s ‘football regulator’… we have the FA, and are better off the Wembley way

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      NEVER mix sport and politics is an age-old expression and right now it is as accurate as a Harry Kane penalty.Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner made a joke-laden speech this week at her party’s conference, in which she outlined plans to create a new football regulator.
      Angela Rayner and Labour want to bring in a new football regulatorCredit: EPA
      The FA currently regulate football… and that’s the way it should beCredit: Reuters
      It was mentioned right alongside sewage control, which was rather fitting as it’s a foul idea.
      Football already has a regulator — it’s called the Football Association.
      The FA is the right and proper regulator for the game in England and Wales.
      It looks after all areas of governance, including anti-doping, gambling, safeguarding — the list goes on.
      Read More Football News
      Rayner continued by saying the Labour Party “together will transform this country”.
      I don’t wish to curb her enthusiasm but government and the “beautiful game” should be many, many football pitches apart.
      The fan-led Tracey Crouch review has been a great catalyst for change at the FA and there has already been widespread reform in their corridors of power.
      More importantly, the FA already remains truly independent — something it would not be if the Government started poking their noses in.
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      If the Government appointed an outside regulator, it would be akin to asking state approval for this, that and the other.
      It would be the Ofsted of football — governed by poorly designed regulations, with lots of paperwork, it would be highly burdensome and expensive and take years to set up and implement.
      Plus, what would the international bodies, Uefa and Fifa, have to say about it — would they stand by and happily allow another  outside regulator with no  knowledge of the game to set rules they are supposed to  ultimately govern? I doubt it.
      For those cynics who say I’m only backing the FA as they would give clubs an easier ride — stacks of yellow cards and precious little red — my answer would be this…
      Why not give the FA the chance to show what it can do and, if it doesn’t deliver, the Government can intervene.
      By giving the FA the remit, it’s a real live test to see if they have the muscle to do it. Nothing ventured nothing gained.  It might not be perfect from the get-go — but it would certainly be progress.
      Rayner and her buddies see this as a way to push their “pro-fans” credentials ahead of a general election, which is two years away.
      Labour wants to create a regulator with extensive powers, including financial ones, designed to extend Premier League revenues “more fairly”.
      Contrary to popular myth the Premier League’s success is already widely shared.
       We already give away 20 per cent of our annual revenue to the EFL, FA, charity and so on. Name another industry that does that?
      I don’t wish to curb her enthusiasm but government and the “beautiful game” should be many, many football pitches apart.Karren Brady on Angela Rayner
      Over the next three years £1.6billion will be committed by the Premier League to the other 72 league clubs, the women’s game, charity and grass-roots facilities.
      That’s not including money the EFL makes from player transfers and Carabao Cup revenue.
      This pot-sharing makes the EFL the best-funded second-tier league in the world, with the best-paid second-tier players.
      Not since Portsmouth has there been a significant regulatory failure in the Premier League.
      The likes of Derby, Bury and Macclesfield were in the EFL, where regulations were not  adequately enforced.
      The FA must be doing something right as nearly all the clubs from the professional league system introduced in the 1920s are still in existence, many within two divisions of where they were back then.
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      I think the Premier League has a decent track record when it comes to finances and, don’t forget, players pay their dues — to the tune of £1.5bn in taxes last year.
      That’s money which does make a huge contribution to the nation’s coffers at a time when, boy, we certainly need it. More

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      in Motorsport

      Ben Hunt: Max Verstappen’s rivals may have faltered… but he has been BRILLIANT on relentless charge to second F1 title

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN can wrap up the Formula One title this weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix – and there would still be five races to go, plus a sprint race in Brazil.Sure, last year’s title was decided under a cloud in Abu Dhabi – the outcome we know was botched by the former race director, Michael Masi.
      Max Verstappen can win the F1 Championship in Singapore this weekendCredit: Splash
      But there is no disputing Verstappen’s second title, for there have been moments of brilliance and skill, while Red Bull have been faultless.
      To use a football analogy. If Verstappen’s win in Abu Dhabi was F1’s equivalent to the ‘Hand of God’ goal – when Diego Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton in the 1986 World Cup quarter finals, then this year is surely like Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ – his second goal where he dribbled past six England players, including Terry Butcher twice, before firing past Shilton for a second.
      Verstappen can win the title if he outscores Charles Leclerc by 22 points, Sergio Perez by 13 and George Russell by six in Singapore.
      If he were to do it there, it would be the earliest coronation in 20 years, and the second earliest in F1 history.
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      The biggest question is perhaps how has he managed to do so, in this new era with F1 cars supposed to be capable of racing much closer together.
      The answer is four-fold. Firstly, his rivals have all faltered, especially Ferrari who built the quickest car.
      Don’t agree? Well, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have taken 10 poles between them on the Saturday qualifying sessions when cars run at their top speeds.
      Verstappen ‘only’ has four and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez has just one. Mercedes’s George Russell also has one.
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      Secondly, Lewis Hamilton – the only driver able to match Verstappen for talent – has not been in the running.
      It is increasingly looking like the Brit will end the season winless for the first time in his 16-year F1 career and the forensic examination into this season will require time to establish what has gone wrong.
      Thirdly, and fourthly, Red Bull and Verstappen have both been excellent. Consistency, decision-making and hardly making any mistakes have been the key to the team’s success this year.
      While the moaning about Abu Dhabi continues (and it definitely does on Twitter), there can be no debate about the outcome of this year’s championship, Verstappen has been brilliant.

      Silverstone review
      British GP bosses have apologised for the ticketing fiasco for the 2023 race.
      Fans were faced with surge pricing when the new ticketing system went online, as prices increased with demand.
      Tickets shifted so quickly as the same volume that took five months to sell last year were sold in just two days.
      Silverstone managing director, Stuart Pringle, has promised “a root and branch review” but that is no comfort for those fans who look set to miss out.

      Big step for Asia
      Singapore’s return to the F1 schedule marks a crucial step for the sport in Asia.
      The night race at the Marina Bay Circuit is the first in Asia since the Covid-19 pandemic.
      And I am expecting plenty of business activity in the paddock while teams will be updating liveries and sponsors as the weekend progresses.

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      Quartararo concern
      Could Fabio Quartararo be having a wobble?
      The MotoGP champ has seen his advantage in the title race sliced to just 18 points.
      Perhaps more worrying for his Yamaha team is his comment that he says he’s “not enjoying riding a bike in a race for a long time”. More

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      Jude Bellingham ready to take centre stage in Qatar as wonderkid shows England’s World Cup hopes rest on his shoulders

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      BETWEEN them, they have just 51 caps — but in central midfield there is no doubt England’s World Cup hopes rest on the young shoulders of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.With few options at his disposal, apart from a half-fit Jordan Henderson and out-of-form James Ward-Prowse, Gareth Southgate has no choice but to stick with both Bellingham and Rice.
      Jude Bellingham is a key player in the England side and will start in QatarCredit: PA
      Even if Kalvin Phillips overcomes his latest shoulder issue to make the plane to Qatar, we are certain to see tonight’s midfield pairing start against Iran on November 21.
      During this breathless match against the Germans, Bellingham and Rice had some nice moments and protected the defence reasonably.
      And in fairness, both showed maturity beyond their years to keep cool when England were 2-0 down and facing yet another defeat.
      In the end Rice, 23, and Bellingham, 19 — along with most others at Wembley — will have left pretty happy, even though the Three Lions should have won this Nations League match.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      Like Friday’s 1-0 loss in Italy Bellingham was guilty of dropping too deep but, when he did get forward, the teenager made a real difference.
      He played a part in England’s first goal and was fouled by Nico Schlotterbeck for Harry Kane’s penalty, so this will give him some belief.
      Yet Southgate would have been helped over these final two games before Qatar had we seen more from players such as Phil Foden, who has yet to really ignite his international career.
      And we also must hope that Jordan Pickford remains injury-free at the World Cup because if Nick Pope starts in goal, we are in real trouble.
      Most read in Football
      At least Rice, with 34 caps, and Bellingham, with 17, appear dependable despite their obvious lack of experience.
      Ahead of linking up with the national team, Bellingham made his 100th appearance for Dortmund in the 1-0 win over local rivals Schalke.
      The midfield ace is not exactly short of confidence. Privately, he feels he should already have featured more in Southgate’s side and was frustrated at playing only a bit-part in Euro 2020.
      At Wembley last night, the Brummie also had a fascinating battle with Ilkay Gundogan — and the pair could be team-mates next season if Manchester City get their way.
      City’s problem is they face competition from Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and crucially, Real Madrid, who fancy their chances of landing £100million-rated whizkid.
      Bellingham, whose style has been likened to Bryan Robson by Gary Lineker, was aged 17 years, four months and 13 days when making his senior debut against Ireland in November 2020.
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      Still, this was only his eighth start — so in Qatar, he will have a lot of growing up to do in terms of international football.
      Against the Germans, Bellingham worked hard and made some crucial blocks while he also hooked the ball away from the boot of Gundogan who had clear sight of goal.
      Yet the problem was that with Germany having so much of the ball — they had 65 per cent possession in the first half — it was difficult for Bellingham to make much of a difference.
      He had his first chance after Gundogan scored Germany’s opener from the spot but blazed over and then delivered another long-range shot but it was an easy save for Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
      He then got forward into the box ahead of Luke Shaw pulling one back for 2-1.
      Southgate, often criticised for not changing a game, then saw his subs make a real difference for the leveller with Bukayo Saka feeding Mason Mount for a brilliant goal.
      Bellingham played a part in another goal forcing a foul from Schlotterbeck to earn a penalty, even though he felt the full force of a nasty challenge, which resulted in a yellow card.
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      Kane showed a cool head to score what we thought was a winning penalty before a terrible error from Pope allowed Kai Havertz to score his second of the night and make it 3-3.
      In injury-time, Bellingham made way for Henderson. But the Liverpool captain knows he will have to get used to watching Bellingham take centre stage in midfield.
      Gareth Southgate knows he has a special talent in the form of BellinghamCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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      Give Gareth Southgate some slack, critics.. England were a penalty shootout away from being European champions under him

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      SOME of the flak being aimed at England manager Gareth Southgate has been unfair.After two shocking defeats to Hungary, some of it has also been fair.
      Flak aimed at Gareth Southgate has been ‘unfair’Credit: Getty
      England are without a win in five gamesCredit: Getty
      The Three Lions lost to Italy in Milan and have one game to go before QatarCredit: Getty
      But, whichever side of the Southgate fence you sit on, one fact is undeniable — the national team is in far better shape than it was six years ago when he took over.
      Rewind to 2016 and we had the shambles of a defeat to the might of Iceland, followed by the brief Sam Allardyce reign.
      Let’s face it, we were really the laughing stock of Europe.
      Southgate has transformed the fortunes of the Three Lions and, OK, we haven’t managed to win anything tangible — unlike the Lionesses — but at least we have been contenders, if not champions.
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      A World Cup semi-final, followed by a first appearance in a major final since the heady days of 1966, means progress has been made.
      Southgate doesn’t need me or anyone else to defend him, he is big enough to do that himself but some of the recent sniping has been below the belt.
      This England team may not be feared, but at least it is respected, and a lot of the credit for that must go to the manager.
      Football fans could say Southgate has been lucky in that a stack of talented youngsters are coming through on his watch, yet do you remember the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard?
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      Yes, I do too. And what exactly did we do back then? To borrow a phrase belonging to Norman Stanley Fletcher in Porridge, ‘Naff all Godber, naff all’.
      Jack Grealish has defended Southgate’s record — and who can blame him?
      But I don’t agree with Grealish’s “this is what you get if you’re English” comment.
      I think if any national side of reasonable stature lost 4-0 at home to Hungary then there would be some stick.
      Southgate is a well-balanced human being and he will know that the only guide to managerial success or failure is results.
      His results have been excellent, until recently. That doesn’t make him a bad manager, as his team has lost only 12 games out of 74.
      Southgate is a ‘well-balanced human being’Credit: Getty
      The players can use Southgate’s mangling as a motivator.
      Thumped in the Molineux mauling by the Magyars, they now have the perfect stage to come out fighting for their country and their manager.
      Only Harry Kane seems certain of his starting place when we kick off our World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21 — and the striker’s 50 goals in 73 international appearances suggests Southgate is right to ink his name in.
      As for the rest, places are up for grabs and surely that must create real competition?
      If we crash out early in Qatar, you can be sure Southgate’s contract until the end of 2024 won’t be worth much. But it is only right we wait to see how he does.
      We were a penalty shootout away from being crowned kings of Europe, so instead of the flak, give Southgate some slack. He earned that much at least.

      IT was a special moment on Thursday as we welcomed Mark Noble back to West Ham as our new sporting director.
      A true legend of the East End, Mark has always been and will always be part of the fabric at West Ham, having made 550 senior appearances across 18 incredible years of devoted service.
      Mark will start his important role in January — a new position which will see him work closely in support of manager David Moyes, as well as the board, providing input, advice and help across the football operation.
      In addition to the role he will play with the men’s and women’s teams, we’re delighted that his new position will see him continue his close affinity with the academy.
      Respected throughout the game, he is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels of our academy, a one-club man who gave his all for the shirt every time he stepped out on to the pitch.
      He will now work tirelessly to ensure the pipeline that has made West Ham renowned throughout the world continues and that we attract, develop and retain great players.
      And importantly, help us build great characters who understand what West Ham stand for.
      Mark Noble will become West Ham’s sporting director in January 2023Credit: Rex
      Anyone who saw Mark take a penalty knows he relishes responsibility and is never flustered under pressure.
      I know from my own dealings with Mark — particularly when we were going through the hugely challenging Covid-19 pandemic — he possesses all the skills, attributes and the right character, to be a huge success.
      Fans know Mark as the man who ran through brick walls for West Ham United and always put the club first.
      What many won’t know about Mark is his business acumen — he’s sharp, entrepreneurial, forward-thinking and knows his own mind.
      He also has that rare knack of being able to speak to anyone from royalty to the man on the street.
      We have huge ambition — on and off the pitch — and Mark will play a key role in helping us achieve great things.
      No one knows our philosophy and the things that make our great club truly special more than him.
      Read More on The Sun
      Mark once said West Ham is not just a football club, it’s a family.
      We are proud as punch that one of the club’s favourite sons is returning in such an important position.
      Noble ‘ran through brick walls’ for West Ham in his playing daysCredit: Rex More